I Hate Myself when I Write on American Politics

COMMENTARY | What a thought. To be a man who's made the very mistake a hundred times on this site and others, and expressed my opinion on American politics as I saw them - to say such a thing - why, that's just bizarre, right? It's odd, yes, but true.

When I express a political opinion for, or against any office-holder or candidate, somewhere deep down within myself, I know I'm not being completely objective and honest. I'm now coming to realize we've all been hoodwinked by parasites, into giving our time and talents away for free, to a small group within our society, who provide nothing productive in return.

Compared to writers on other topics, who really know what they're talking about from either experience, or research or education, politics takes no such real effort. Our opinions on the folks in government are just that - opinions. If anything in politics was a fact, it would be irrefutable, by its very essence. Compared to those writers who focus on how-to articles, and other truly useful topics, we political writers are lazy. We prattle on, usually in anger, on a topic just as personally subjective as religion itself.

None of us know the whole story on any topic, in the first place. Most of us don't come to any real conclusions on our own. Instead, we push some agenda or idea, advanced to us by another, whether it's through the media, rumors or peer-pressure. We like to think our "position" is our own, but they rarely ever are. The best any of us can ever hope for, is to word a convincing argument from our own perspective.

The ongoing political debates are over the laws of our nation, which are loosely written, so they can be loosely translated later, as it's convenient for the bureaucrat, at any given moment. Our candidate's images are portrayed in generic terms, upon which we project what we hope they mean to us personally. They use terms like "reform," "change," "liberty," "accountability" and others, without sticking to any specifics. We lead ourselves to hear what we want to hear, and to believe what we want to believe. We sell ourselves on their specious half-truths, and their lies-by-omission.

As far as I'm concerned, anyway, if any career politician wants someone to speak up for them, let them pay a staff member or hire a public relations firm. Why would I want to take anything more of my own, irreplaceable time in this life, to advance any bureaucrat's election or re-election for free? The whole idea is about as silly and un-productive as getting into a Facebook debate, when I should be working. It is far better to focus my energies on providing something of real value to my fellow man. If I take up another's fight ever again, let it be for someone deserving of my help. Even if our bureaucrats and politicians see themselves as kings, I refuse to be their subject. I am free.