“Ideologues are the persons who lack the capacity
to see complexity in difficult issues”
I read that quote somewhere and wrote it down. It’s not mine but it certainly expresses my view of the 2010 campaign season and, perhaps, the far fringes of both parties.
There seems, however, to be a louder ideological voice coming from the extreme right this year. Here individuals have plenty to say about what they don’t like. But when you ask them what they would do instead, they are only programmed to repeat simple statements about what’s wrong. They have no plan. They really have no substance to their position, no facts, no options, no proposals. All they have is the total elimination of whatever it is they’re angry about: Social Security, the UN, The Department of Education, etc.
Elimination is a very easy position to take. It does not require any research or even an ounce of understanding of the various policy aspects or public needs or constituent positions.
It’s a very shallow position.
I recently saw a news clip of the Republican Senate candidate in Nevada, Sharron Angle who epitomizes the ideologue definition. When asked by a reporter about her position on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan she replied, “You know, the two wars that we’re in right now is exactly what we’re in.” UH?
The terrifying and sad thing is that some of these ideologues are going to get elected tonight. I can only hope that, once in office, their eyes will be opened to the real complexity of the issues we face as a nation. I hope they will take the time to learn and listen and become aware of all aspects of an issue. Once they have done so, I hope they’ll lend their voices to finding solutions instead of only looking for their next simplistic, unsophisticated sound bite designed to appeal to the uninformed.
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