As the Asian stock market is about to open and our elected Feds on all sides have not come to final terms about an USA budget plan/deficit reduction/credit extension, et al, that is either stepped or aboslute, it may be that damage comes to other nations, not only our own. The deadline-darers seem to have set aside that there is far more at stake than they themselves and their parties. We all are at stake. And, other people of the world are at stake.

We are no longer an island nation with Canada as our shoulders and Mexico and Central America, our legs. The USA is one of the central organs of a worldwide body; one that, if it fails, all other vital organs elsewhere will be put under harsh duress or fail also. The time of thinking whatever Feds decide effects only ourselves alone in the smaller body we belong to, is far and long, over.

I am listening to many friend contacts in Asia and in Europe who are preparing to vacate US stocks because USA is now seen as hugely unstable re inability of Federal personalities involved… this pinning down their budget and all that swirls around that, being only an ongoing example of the last two years especially, but leaning way back into the decades before this one also.

Alert people across the ocean seem to be more shaking their heads, not about our economics/ deadline talk-talk-talks but without effect, rather about USA’s slowdown decisions that affect their own countries as well. They dont see the Congress as acting in honor in some kind of wondrous slugfest, as some of the Fed elected seem to see themselves. Others outside US, see it as the kind of sluggishness that comes from people who have taken too many head punches and are punch drunk and ineffective.

They can see all the dueling personalities involved at the federal level in the USA, for many in the Congress here like to be seen on TV and heard on radio. But many here– and over there– are not impressed. They are too under duress themselves in their own countries to see US posturing in Congress and Presidency as an entertaining ringside fight. They appear to see it as the Fed congresspeople toying with others’ lives far away from the US as well as in the US. There was a time when USA was seen as Leaderly rather than as Grand Squabblers. Now all those in power regarding budget and deadlines are seen by many, as less. The operative word is ‘all’ personalities.

Just my .02, those who butt heads incessantly ought be taken out of the talks, and people of sharp intellect and demonstrated good will for ‘each side’ and for ‘the other side,’ put in. If there were time. But it appears that ‘the way of the play’ has been to take it hot wire to the very end, and hope/pray the ignition left to rust out will still somehow start when the spark is thrown at the last moment. That is, when a final decision of whatever kind is made. Most humans do not and will not ever work well and create a loyalty in a democracy to those who cause them ongoing angst about whether they will or will not be thrust into ongoing and undefined hardship. Poly Sci 101.

In the next election, I’ll hope to be voting as a registered independent for those who refused to enter this ongoing circular firing range that has gone on more and more vociferously for years now in DC. I’ll be looking for those of good character who can see the biggest picture overall, yet see the elements of the bigger picture. I’ll specifically be writing about them.

There may be other choices than those we have on table now regarding debt limits, budgets. There are also the choices we’ve heard in fragments over the months: all are hard choices, yes, but not this kind of wasteful, senseless calling of news conferences to say, for the 1,000th time, “no dice.” This isnt some man-to-man contest of who’s got the bigger no-blink. I think we all know the men and women who are on the line with all their heroic bones walking the perimeters. It isn’t in Washington. It’s far across the world in a place of dust and sand and bullets real.

But here at home so many of the elected seem to be vying for the honorific of impeding, not agreeing, as though it’s soldierly, colonel-like. It isnt. Not in my book. I know where the real blood runs. Most of us do.

Yet, that the elected have placed themselves in the circular firing range think they are doing the ‘work of the people’ –their own small group of people– fine. But, when they also, by their inaction or vapid ineffective actions, also say the heck with all others across the world as well as in our own nation… that is the most politically suicidal move each could make. They will not be esteemed at home or abroad for their statesmanship nor their wisdom nor their vision. They will become inelectable again. Poly-sci 102.

Why? In part, because hoards of people (who vote) here where I live are losing their homes; we are upside down on our own mortgage, and am working way beyond retirement. 10k out of jobs this week as Borders closes. College tuitions are insane, and students come out with HUGE loans, and with NO jobs. The latter alone is incomprehensible. The list is far longer than this. There is so much to fight FOR, rather than against. And how much time and resource has been taken up by this suicidal non-race to the finish line of debt limits and extensions, while everyone else rots away? Far too much, by my sights.

I’m sympathetic to all who strive for the good of others; I dont agree with “the right” in our country when whomsoever identifies with it, whines and moans incessantly about the other side. I dont agree with “the left” in our country when whomsoever identifies with it, whines and moans incessantly about the other side. I find it hard to listen for the 10th or 10,000th time to any side(s) wracking any other side(s).

I covered the Democratic convention, the Libertarian convention, have been to tea party meetings in order to write something useful. What I found were many at all places who are thoughtful and passionate. What I also found was that often the stories that were printed by any means were about hostilities instead of ideas. The proportion I experienced was 90-10, 90% great ideas and plans, and 10% hostility.

I noted too that what the media prints appears to bring many to join in the same exact cantor. I noted too that what the media does not emphasize or often not even report–the other 90%– can only be held silently by those who witnessed it in themselves, in others. There has been much written about MSM being the leader of thought politically rather than the people hearing the entire story from all sides. I would have to say, that this has been my experience for the last many years. So much is left out, so much good and so much graciousness and so much bridging and ‘work together’ intent. But it is not to be seen in the news. It is instead, what I call ‘the coliseum call’ to crown and crow and condemn, assuming all the populace will be swept away in the moment as though they are only rooting for a football team of their own, rather than rooting for humanity to thrive and not just survive another season.

I can grasp that a lot of that “look what they’re doing to us now” is the cry of many of us who are at the end of our ropes… that we can no longer believe any program will touch us, the mainstreet small businesses, the families. We can no longer believe in full faith that what is promised will be delivered. It is not odd that there is so much crying out and accusation and millions of circular firing ranges amongst the people too: for there is a real sense of complete impotence. I can hear it, read it, many places. All the meetings, rallies, gatherings, rising up over the last many years… has not changed the basic stone of the national politic. And that has in no way helped the current political powers-that-be to come to a reasoned conclusion about budget, debt ceiling, etc.

Yet, in mediation, when two parties, say two business partners… for that is what our Federal congress is in many ways– cannot agree or budge at all and hold hostile sense of ‘the other’–this is called an impasse. When the two parties in mediation throw ‘cocktails’ and insults and whine endlessly about the unfairness of the other party, side, person, experienced mediators see each side’s points, but also see, have to see that each is trapped in past wounds, wanting the world to be fair to only themselves, being subsumed by their own victimology.

The only way forward in mediation is to bring in others who have the heart of the matter at the forefront, not the scar tissue. It’s the only way to get reasoned, but not perfect, but fair as possible, compromises.

I stopped listening to the high power political wheedlers and whiners a long time ago; they appear to not even see how their lobbing their cotton balls at each other determines nothing, solves nothing, convinces no one. The repetitions of meaningless words, “insights”, and promises by the same scolds, is like being in a family with a ‘teched” grandpa in the back room who rails against and never effectively for, anything. After a while, all with sense, stop listening and just tiptoe past his door. He belongs to us, but in his perseverative condition, he cannot be allowed to lead the family.

I am listening to and for those in or about to be in public office who are of reason, who are originals in effective thoughts and actions, who have good will and a track record of strong mediation skills, instead of grandstanding swill in their hearts. Millions of others are listening too. I think there is a new silent majority… who definitely vote. I’m one of them. And my sense is that it may be that people without ka-jillions of dollars may be able to run for presidential office. The internet isnt even half born in all its power to reach voters yet.

Le jeaux son fait does not have to be the law nor the lay of the land, our land or anyone else’s. We could thrive instead. Together in so far as possible. In the film by the same name (based on Sartre’s work), those who love one another are killed before they can follow their destiny. They are given a second chance to live again, if they will tend to the work of caring for one another. But because they have memory of past offenses, they both fritter away their time, their second chance, on old wounds from this person and that person back in time. Too near the end of the time alloted they realize they have given more to settling old scores than to creating bonds. And now they are out of time.

We have to be concerned about ourselves; we have gone blind and stupid for decades letting those who were elected at every level, from every party to oversee the Federal budgets and perks… we have trusted them and without realizing it, let them go completely mad in ways we would not have let our household finances go mad for decades on end.

Yet now, we have more than just ourselves to be concerned about. What our Feds do affects the world markets, world trade, world’s workplaces, world’s people who are like us, little families often, trying to make our way in the world by working hard, taking care of our children and grandchilden, hoping for a life without fear and without having the rug pulled out from under us by others who feast on the chicken whilst we are offered only the feathers.

As in Le jeaux son fait, we are on our second chance at life too.

It ought not be squandered in more flailing about in what did not work the first time.

dr.e

Thoughtful opinions and comments about the topic are welcome.