No Longer a Joking Matter

Via Bob Cesca: “I do believe that we are now in uncharted waters when it comes to the dysfunction in our political system — and it is no longer a joking matter,” former Defense Secretary Robert Gates told an audience two weeks ago at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, where he received the Liberty Medal for national service. “It appears that as a result of several long-building, polarizing trends in American politics and culture, we have lost the ability to execute even the basic functions of government much less solve the most difficult and divisive problems facing the country. Thus, I am more concerned than I have ever been about the state of American governance.”

And I'll add that I don't ever think it was joking matter to begin with. In eras gone by, an entire political party's desire to defeat an opposition incumbent president at the possible risk of the country's financial ruin would be considered treasonous. Now it's thought of and reported as just another goddamn game.

And before you say that both sides are the same, I'll stop the bullshit right now. All the proof you need is the rejection by the GOP of bills or policy positions espoused by the current administration that used to be Republican positions. Now that the main strategy of the Republicans is to defeat President Obama at all costs, they will say no to everything suggested by the White House even if it's something with which they philosophically agree. They're willing to burn the village in order to save it. Actually, they're willing to burn the village in order to control it. You won't find that kind of political sabotage on the Democratic side because "country first" actually means something to them.