Lost in the Narrows

Another gorgeous early fall day here on the Platinum Coast of California, with visibility all the way out to the Channel Islands. On a day like this, it’s easy to shove the concerns from one’s head and enjoy the here and now.  Sunshine kisses the red tile rooftops downtown, tourists stroll the grounds of the County courthouse, a pair of young lovers walk hand in hand by the art museum – all is as touted by the Chamber of Commerce here.

Somewhere else, far away, life is base and hard, and suffering and deprivation arrive with the rising sun.

Saturday’s mail is nothing but political advertisements; these go straight into the recycle bin.  I already know who and what I’m voting for when Election Day mercifully arrives. California is a solidly blue state, sure to land in Obama’s column, so except for begging for contributions from our wealthiest citizens, the national campaigns stay away, focus their attention and money on Ohio and Iowa, Missouri and Florida. Poor voters in those states are besieged and bombarded from all quarters; I can’t say I envy them.

Once again our quadrennial election circus has been a bust, at least for any informed voter who grasps that our two political parties are really one party dedicated to serving the narrow interests of corporations, financial institutions, defense contractors and resource extractors. Ordinary citizens are needed as props and extras; we have no lines to speak, and when our legitimate interests are at odds with the corporate agenda – and they always are -- those interests are ignored. Our participation is only needed to legitimize the perverse process of electing candidates who have no intention of representing our interests, our needs, our concerns. 

We stand alone, walk alone, suffer alone.

Major issues are left off the agenda completely: climate change, the cost of college tuition, the size of our prison population, state-sponsored surveillance of our e-mails and telephone calls, white collar crime (without punishment), rising costs for food, medical care and other basic necessities, chronic unemployment, flat or falling wages, or the question of our President’s authority, legal and moral, to select assassination targets anywhere in the world.

For all this and much more, a deafening, irresponsible silence; is this Democracy? The most critical issue of our time, totally ignored, as if it doesn’t exist, poses no threat.  

Truth is avoided as if it were a plague. We are subjected to a steady diet of propaganda. Markets are always fair; deficits are the root of our economic problems; Medicare and Social Security cause deficits; taxes are too high, particularly on the wealthy; continuous foreign wars and massive military expenditures are necessary to protect the homeland from Islamic terrorists; “clean” coal will help us achieve energy independence; Israel can do no wrong and deserves to dictate American foreign policy in the middle east.

   

Crass and conniving politicians wrap themselves in the flag and hide behind the cross, and year after year, election after election, we believe their nonsense, swallow their lies, and act surprised or outraged or disappointed  when they stick a dagger between our shoulder blades.