A Rational Centrist's New Years Resolution

This New Year, I resolve to foster an environment of intolerance for bullshit.

I apologize if that choice of words offends you, not because I didn't mean to offend; bullshit, by its nature, is offensive. I apologize because some of you will stop reading there, offended enough by the words to not be offended by its perpetuation. You see, bullshit is popular these days. Extremely popular.

The right wing perspective on the "value of life"? Bullshit. The left wing's identification with the "working class"? Bullshit. The entire "global climate change" consortium's overwhelming concern about carbon footprints and human impact? Complete and utter bullshit. And yet, we the people for some reason swallow huge amounts of bullshit, and do nothing about it.

Why?

As a registered independent, and centrist, I think I may have an outside perspective that so many of you fixated on the red vs. blue just don't get. There is an instinctual response to forgive "our guy" for the same sins over which we crucify "their guy". My Republican friends roast Al Gore for his blatant environmental profiteering, but are offended at commentary on the extremely poor planning and execution of the Iraq conflict. My Democrat friends take exceeding glee in the hypocrisies of Larry Craig and other closeted Republicans being dragged out into the light of day, yet bristle at the suggestion that blue blooded white folks of privilege and property with D, State Name at the end of their title are perhaps not the facilitators of social equity they claim to be. The bipartisan process encourages irrational belief sets based on "team" emotion as opposed to fact, because independent thoughtful analysis leads to accountability at the hands of the electorate, which translates to an end of the gravy train of personal advancement our so called congressional representation has been helping themselves to.

The fact is, the core social ideals of both parties, when removed from the history of the actions of their respective members, are both lofty goals to shoot for. The Democractic platform is built on a somewhat socialist ideal: progressive social policies for opportunity, education, and healthcare, and regulatory oversight of corporate interests. The Republican platform is built on personal accountability and opportunity: smaller government, less federal interference, personal freedoms, and fiscal conservatism. Either of these platforms, when removed from the labels and faces we connect them to currently, are admirable platforms for action in their own way. When the individual precepts are chewed upon at length, there are some notable similarities in the two, as at their core, they both seek a fair opportunity for the average American...they simply have different philosophies on how that is accomplished.

So, step one in lowering the bullshit tolerance factor is letting go of the "us vs. them" mentality. Republicans are not all evil industrial military supporting redneck having shotgun bible wife three kids and a dog in a double wide...although there certainly are some who fit that exact description. Conversely, Democrats are not all tree hugging america hating pot smoking commie pinko hippie pseudo-intellectual elitist snobs...although I've met a few of those. The people who continue to try and convince you otherwise, the Limbaughs, Coulters, Paglias and Sharptons, they do so because they profit from your belief in it, both materially, and in influence and power.

We have important issues facing our country right now. There are serious domestic economic concerns, and a very expensive and messy foreign policy debacle that must be worked through. Emotionally charged rhetoric, bipartisan mis-characterizations, and a disproportionate focus on overblown non-issues of religion, race, gender and carbon emissions only serve to distract from those issues. Let's cut away the bullshit in 2008, and demand real accountability and measurable results. An informed and rational electorate with a low tolerance for bullshit is the greatest enemy that a corrupt and self serving leadership can have.