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January 10, 2008Election 2008: American GlasnostDick Meyer has some thoughtful analysis today. It moves beyond the incessant (and exaggerated) “Hillary wept, then she swept” narrative that has been dominating most media, and it brushes aside the pundit hysteria and cablenews “where did we go wrong” breast-beating to look a little more deeply at who American voters really are.
I more than agree. Meyer makes the point that America has not been “polarized” so much as limited to choices of extremes and caricature. Who the hell wants to vote for extremes and caricatures? I blame the media for much of this. As we have seen vividly over the past ten days, the press has invested too much emotionalism into the political process - they either looooooove someone or they haaaaate someone, and they do all they can to sway the rest of us in our feelings. And clearly - if the past 15 years are any indicator, they succeed wildly. And for that, perhaps, I blame us. We’re a nation too-ready to be told what to think or do by anyone who appears on a television screen or in a magazine. We’re like sheep, and we’ve been badly herded, but perhaps that is changing. I can’t help but think the longer the writers stay out on strike, the better for an American electorate they cannot over-influence with satirical news shows and late night monologues. Right now, Americans can’t form their opinions with a laugh or a distortive headline. They actually have to check things out for themselves. Perhaps there is a little revolution going on; the mini-balkanization of America is being exposed as less a balkanization than a dearth of appropriate, representative choices and too much power being too centralized. It’s almost like the establishment political parties (and the entrenched media) are the USSR, and the voters are trying like hell to bring about glasnost. The politician who can best help deliver “openness” to the flim-flam saturated business of politics, will be our Gorbachev. In a happy bit of synchronicity, you can take this test and see if you’re really as extreme as the press keeps telling you we all are. Betsy Newmark has additional thoughts on Meyer’s piece By the way, The Lives of Others is still the most compelling movie I’ve seen all year - it’s really stayed with me. If you haven’t seen it, get to it. Dave Barry is also analyzing things. Via Betsy. http://theanchoressonline.com/2008/01/10/election-2008-american-glasnost/trackback/ 5 Responses to “Election 2008: American Glasnost” |
January 10th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
[...] Election 2008: American Glasnost [...]
January 11th, 2008 at 8:40 am
I like Mr. Thompson. He is steady and not given to extremes. He actually has position papers and to me he says what he means and means what he says based on his past positions and votes. However, the media has taken a position that he is lazy, unexciting and unelectable. He wasn’t lazy when he ran for US Senator, he just did it differently. I guess he doesn’t fit the expectations of the media and unfortunately, possibly the voters. But prior to the campaigns starting, the media was critical of campaigns because candidates did not approach campaigning with solid positions and straight talk; attributes that Mr. Thompson possesses. Mr. Thompson just doesn’t have the charisma seemly required in the latest media position on campaigns and candidates.
Well President Kennedy had plenty of charisma and was very likable, but while I liked him (as I do Mr. Obama), the perception of what he actually was by foreign leaders created a danger for America. I worry about the results of having an exciting, likeable, but politically and leadership inexperienced and untested president during a time of crisis/war. Those untested and or appearing weak give perception that they are not strong in regards to America’s security.
I was 18 when President Kenney was killed and I remember vividly that he faltered on the Bay of Pigs in Cuba by withdrawing the air support, backed off of confronting the USSR on the illegal Berlin Wall construction and was judged by Mr. Khrushchev in their face to face meeting, according to his memoirs, to be weak which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis. And our present enemies have less of an understanding of our culture and politics than did Premier Khrushchev and his advisors. Therefore they may make major judgments on what they see and hear from and about a candidate. Unfortunately that may result an escalation of our enemies actions, as in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and risk the possibility of an over reaction by an unsure president needing to show his/her strength.
In politics and world affairs, as at the school playground, perceptions are the reality.
January 11th, 2008 at 9:14 am
[...] The Anchoress notes today something about the chattering class who control the media message and the rest of America who work, raise families and live their lives. The key point (from Dick Meyer) is we are not polarized and hyper-partisan - it is the talking heads! [Meyer]independent, swing voters never went away, they just had only highly partisan candidates to choose from. Unhappy with such choices, their votes were evenly divided between two bad options. This resulted in close elections. Analysts mistakenly said this meant America was polarized. It wasn’t. Politicians, activists and candidates were partisan and polarized. Most voters were not. They were pragmatic and open-minded. [...]
January 12th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
[...] because I’m part of the press) have gleefully accepted the mantle of Brainwashers in Chief. The Anchoress » Blog Archive » Election 2008: American Glasnost As we have seen vividly over the past ten days, the press has invested too much emotionalism into [...]
January 12th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
[...] what I’ve been screaming Jump to Comments The Anchoress » Blog Archive » Election 2008: American Glasnost As we have seen vividly over the past ten days, the press has invested too much emotionalism into [...]