Preface to Lunch The change we really need

Author: James O'Brien

I'm not familiar with the history of politics enough to attempt to identify when politicians' focus turned from serving the best interest of their country to serving the best interest of their party. At some point, though, it happened. Why is Democrats and Republicans working together treated like a Loch Ness monster sighting? In the presidential debates, both candidates constantly touted their abilities to "reach across the aisle." Well, great. But that shouldn't be a big deal. There shouldn't even be a divide to reach across, but politicians, media, and we ourselves insist on creating one. Yes, it's important to have your own views, but it's equally important to realize that, if you can't get your way, it's better to try to reach a compromise than to take your ball and go home like a kid who doesn't get his way on the playground.

I'm writing this because a temporary forgetting of their party affiliation on the part of politicians is the only thing that will help us out of this financial/global crisis. Barack Obama is great and all, but the chances that he can ride in and miraculously save the economy are not good. And that comment isn't an example of me being pessimistic - it's an example of healthy expectations. This is where the divisions in politics and American popular culture come in. The good folks at Fox News and those of their ilk will be ready at Obama's first stumble - and there will be a stumble - to throw their fists in the air and say something like, "See who you voted for, America? This isn't change! This isn't hope!" What is the point of this, except to encourage more negativity and apathy? It's an invitation for people to tune-out.

I'm not saying that it's counter-productive to criticize a president, but it is counter-productive to blindly criticize without having first considered the merits of his actions. Basically, as an American, whether we are a Democrat or a Republican, we should want to see Obama succeed. We should want to see our country succeed. If his presidency is a failure, it would be a bigger blow to the country than 9/11. But I can't help thinking that the Republicans would be overjoyed - it would, after all, mean that after 4 years of hell they can get themselves back into office.

So the first change that needs to be made is the elimination of this arbitrary division between Democrat and Republican, which causes individuals to sacrifice their own thought so they can stick to the party line. The conservative/liberal battles are reflective of a disease in our society. Instead of thinking with our minds, we let our emotions control us. If we are affiliated with one party, then we talk ourselves out of any good ideas which the other side may have. The problem with this is that we've convinced ourselves that these arbitrary distinctions of conservative/liberal or Democrat/Republican are somehow real, as if affiliating ourselves with one of these parties' complete playbook of ideology relieves us of our duties to think for ourselves.

This situation makes me think back to when I was a scrappy (read: scrub) shooting guard for my high school basketball team. Our team was down twenty, so I was in the game. The opposing team missed a shot, and I charged for the basket. I jumped, willing myself towards the rebound, but when I landed with my hands squeezing the ball, there was another pair of hands pulling on the orange orb with equal strength. I wanted that ball for my team, and I wanted my name in the stat sheet, so I pulled as hard as I could. That is, until I heard my coach yelling, "Same! Same team!" Then I realized that my teammate Pete and I were fighting each other for the same rebound.

And so I just let go of the ball. It wasn't important that I didn't get the rebound - Pete and I were on the same team. I hope that we, the people who eat, sleep, and move around together in America, are able to realize we are all on the same team. Unless we can help ourselves, Barack Obama's commitment to change won't help us one bit.