Characterizing the bipolar political system in the US as dysfunctional is one thing, but saying that there's no difference between Democratic and Republican policies is empirically false. The main difference is in priorities -- today even more clearly defined. The Obama Administration seeks to implement and maintain a rational approach to the future with a moderate safety net in the tradition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. The role of government is important in this tradition, and seen in a positive light. The Republican challengers -- Mitt Romney and Tea Party Congressional Representative Paul Ryan -- view the government's role very differently. To them, building up the military-industrial complex is paramount, weakening the social safey net (i.e. "What I know is Texas, and here, you're on your own"), cutting texas for the wealthy, and privatizing without oversight is the way to go. These are significantly different approaches, indeed.
To me, the Social Darwinist approach of the Romney-Ryan ticket is unnecessarily brutal. The Obama approach is much more civilized. Of course government can be made more efficient and responsive to the needs of people -- but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Besides, the rich are doing quite fine the way things stand. In fact, if elected, Romney would be the wealthiest man to become US President in more than two hundred years. Do the super rich really need further encouragement?
Thoughts?
Today's Rune: Signals.
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