Can We Save Our Democracy?
Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2009
by e
Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation
We are a democratic people who believe in democracy, which means equality, due process, freedom, privacy, consent and dissent, toleration, and the common good. We believe in it so adamantly that we advocate it for the world. This is because in the past, democracy has worked well for our country. But within the last decade, problems have arisen that threaten our democracy's very existence.
As we have become a diverse society, with more or less open borders, like-mindedness is disappearing. The very fabric of our democracy is melting into a quagmire of indecision and inaction as witnessed in congress during the last decade. We are no longer like-minded at all. Instead, we are torn in many different directions by countless and diverse interests.
The current health care debate is indicative of this shift toward a dysfunctional democracy. It is blatantly clear to everyone in the world, even people in this country with special interests, that our health care system is in a shambles and is a disgrace compared to many systems in other countries that function well. Thirty percent of our health care costs are tied up in paperwork generated by 1500 different insurance companies reaping a profit for basically doing nothing - acting as a go-between, a middleman between a patient and his or her care.
Short term goals (profits) of many diverse interests are overriding the long term goal of the general population's best interests, and since congress merely reflects the population at large, people in government, no different from the rest of us, are getting what they can while they can (again, short term goals), and considering only themselves in any legislative battle.
This is all happening now, and the divisiveness is increasing - this cannot be denied. Hatred is spewing all over this country. Non-cooperation has replaced working together for a common goal. There no longer is one common goal. The diversity of our populace now has many goals, and almost all of them are conflicting and self-centered.
With borders remaining open (because there is no practical, inexpensive way to close them), the diversity will increase perhaps to the point of a total breakdown of government. This will happen when the general populace loses all confidence in the system, which may not be too far off. Once it is discovered that changing parties or presidents won't make any difference, there will be unrest. The result will be, as it always has been; street justice, and navigating on our own through the cracks and crevices of a dysfunctional, unsupportable system that we have lost all respect for.
All of this will undermine the lifestyle that we are accustomed to, as each person and institution turns their back on the idea of a national interest and instead only looks after themselves. This is a defensive maneuver, as we see the total disfunctioning of the system, and where all cohesiveness disappears. In this atmosphere, anarchy and revolution can easily come to fruition.
So the question is; how can we get back to our functional democracy before it's too late.
The radio talk show hosts spewing hatred on both sides have no idea what kind of harm they are doing and what their actions may lead to by exaggerating and highlighting the conflicts in society. They are not the ideologues they pretend to be, but only looking out for their own popularity and wealth by pitting society against itself and finding ways daily to control and push their listener‘s buttons.
This short term personal gain instead of long term societal gain, however, is becoming rooted in society as a whole, replacing the common good - and this is not relegated to only radio talk show hosts. As a matter of fact, the popularity of radio talk shows are merely a reflection of what society at large is feeling, and indicative of what is happening to our collective consciousnesses.
When hatred replaces co-operation, super ego takes over. This is no different from a barroom brawl where things quickly escalate out of control and people suddenly become insane, and willing to die in order to win. And this is where society, as a whole, can break down into chaos.
The solution to all of this is not an easy one. It requires introspection by each individual into their own minds, minds that have become so manic, fearful, self centered, and material driven that they are bordering insanity. But how could we expect anyone to do this, to study their own minds when they believe that they are right and everyone else is wrong?
As a meditation instructor, I can tell you that a very, very small percentage of people understand and have insight into this whole premise of introspection, and take any action in this direction - the only direction towards which the real solution lies. Systems, ideologies, and governments per se can never solve our problems as long as the people in charge have scattered and conflicting minds, void of the values that truly make people and society happy.
Look into your own mind and what do you see? If you see hatred and divisiveness, regardless of whether you think that you are right, or justified, or for whom or what the hatred is targeted, there will be conflict in your life, and this will reflect in society as a whole. Find a way to end the hatred, the conflict, the aggression, before it's too late. You can never win that way. The more you push, the more you will be pushed back until there is violence. Hatred creates hatred twofold.
You can only win when the mind is strong enough that it is no longer affected by outside influences and circumstances, regardless of what they are. Then, nothing can push your buttons any longer, and no longer will you be a puppet with someone else pulling your strings. Then, you can truly make a difference.
And then, you will become a fearless warrior.
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More commentsYou are spot-on, e. I'm afraid our country has gotten to the point where the only thing that matters is who has the most lobbying money, and what is right and what is wrong no longer comes into play. If we can't deal with long-term problems because their sound bites don't play well, where are we headed?
The ones who were supposed to be the example of upright living and good character have now joined the crowds of name-callers and scoffers. If the upright can't be a good example to follow, who is left?
Hi Bruce, Thanks for the comment, I appreciate that. I know a lot of people who have personally suffered because of the health care industry. And if things keep going as they seem to be going, the Insurance companies will find loopholes that continue to ruin people’s lives and take away life savings. It‘s criminal. Yet, many don‘t see it that way. I guess it depends on one‘s experience with the health care industry. My personal experience is that I rate it right down there with used car dealerships, and I‘m not alone. This is a quote this morning on AOL from an article by a Connecticut doctor,
"It's now incredibly common to see patients who have either lost their jobs or are about to -- and they risk losing their health insurance as well. All President Obama or any politician needs to do is spend one week in my office or that of any doctor in America to see first hand how inefficient and unfair the health insurance industry is, and how frustrated both doctors and patients are as a result."
I’m telling you Bruce, arguing with an insurance company for months, literally 8 months, over a hospital bill that they should pay but won’t, is enough to make one sick! As an article in Rolling Stone says,
“Let's start with the obvious: America has not only the worst but the dumbest health care system in the developed world. It's become a black leprosy eating away at the American experiment — a bureaucracy so insipid and mean and illogical that even our darkest criminal minds wouldn't be equal to dreaming it up on purpose.
The system doesn't work for anyone. It cheats patients and leaves them to die, denies insurance to 47 million Americans, forces hospitals to spend billions haggling over claims, and systematically bleeds and harasses doctors with the specter of catastrophic litigation. Even as a mechanism for delivering bonuses to insurance-company fat cats, it's a miserable failure: Greedy insurance bosses who spent a generation denying preventive care to patients now see their profits sapped by millions of customers who enter the system only when they're sick with incurably expensive illnesses.
The cost of all of this to society, in illness and death and lost productivity and a soaring federal deficit and plain old anxiety and anger, is incalculable — and that's the good news. The bad news is our failed health care system won't get fixed, because it exists entirely within the confines of yet another failed system: the political entity known as the United States of America.”
Raymond, I share your sentiments that we now have a dysfunctional democracy plagued with shouting matches as ends in themselves. No one has the common sense to listen to the other side anymore. Blind ideology has taken over, and it rules at any cost. It has come down to a kind of US versus THEM that says "To hell with the nation. If my side doesn't win or call the shot, count me out." Sadly, I see little hope that this broken state of affairs is nearing a U-Turn. We may be seeing the demise and crumbling of the American Empire, the latest of "the kingdoms of this world". Thanks for writing this piece. ~mogama~
Hi Mogama, thanks for responding. I believe that the present mentality really began with Reagan in 1961 when he used over-the-top rhetoric about totalitarianism in an attempt to squelch the creation of Medicare. It was called “Operation Coffee Cup” Look it up. It was an underhanded, dishonest ploy that worked, and has been working ever since for these types that want to preserve the status quo, which means keeping them rich and in power. Take a good look at who was at the conservative rally on Sat. in DC. Not much color there. Reagan also began disastrous long term consequences for this country with his love of unbridled capitalism and complete hands off deregulation for the greed on Wall Street which is almost bringing our country to its knees as we speak. I don’t know what the answer is, because liberals are kind and not underhanded, do not indulge in dirty tricks like Nixon, or communicate in untrue bumper sticker phrases, or turn their backs on large, wonderful segments of society like Asians, Latinos and Blacks, regardless of how messy our party becomes at times. I only hope that fairness and honesty prevails, because that is the basis on which our country was originally formed. If fairness doesn't prevail, seniors, sick people, the disadvantaged,. minorities, non-Christians, gays - all better head for Costa Rica!
Excellent and very well-said. Democracy thrives on debate, yet these days we seem to spend more time shouting down the opposition than engaging in converstation. Why we are where we are is important, of course, yet realizing we are here now is paramount to any kind of change.The American people are tired of hearing every president, every senator and congressman say the same thing: I can do it better. And the result is the same. A difference that makes no difference is no difference.We are Americans, and we need to use that energy to reconstruct the American ideal and realize we are all in this together. The time for pointing fingers is long past, as is the time of compromise. There can be no compromise between Democracy and Anarchy, or Democracy and Elitism. We can prevail since we are Americans. We only must remember that fact.Again, excellent article.
Hey Michael! -- Very well said yourself! We just have to begin looking out for each other, not each other only in our own social group or comfort zone, but all human beings. We will feel better about ourselves, and maybe discover some values other than wealth and exclusion.
Best...........e
Thanks for writing this E. I have been caught in the grips of the same line of questioning that you espoused in your piece. I have listened to fallacy in the guise of truth; demonization dressed up as information and watched, most sadly, those who say they follow a faith whose guiding principle is love, act in the most hateful ways. I don't have an answer for the question contained in your title, but I'll be praying and working for the right one.
Thank you for your comment Edward. I always value your response greatly. I’m afraid that you are correct, and speaking frankly and honestly without beating around the bush, the right wing Christians hate Obama because he is black, and they would prefer that everything remains as it was in the fifties - lily white with them on top. ( I guess Jesus really is just a myth, ay? :)
Well, the right wing is in for some royal battles down the road, aren’t they? That’s the only reason that I can see why poor and middle class people are buying into the right wing BS while their jobs and standard of living are going south, and it’s all because of Wall Street. If you watch the financial shows, you know what party is in charge there.
We know the architect of that whole Ponzi scheme that's called Wall Street, who fought tooth and nail against any kind of social program for anyone but the white folk -- R.R. With open borders and a large segment of society now minority, the right wing is doing the Democrats a HUGE favor by alienating a lot of good people from Republicanism, which is sadly becoming Hatism.
Welcome back E. It's good to read you again! You're right... the discussion has become so heated, exaggerated and irrational that I don't even enjoy hearing or reading viewpoints I generally agree with.Thank you Steve! Don't give up on what's important to you, and more importantly perhaps, what is good and fair for America, long term.
Best.........e
Good points! We need to get back to civility in our discussions, no doubt. It is unfortunate that we have to resort to name calling instead of an intelligent discussion of the issues. Though it is good to see people re-engaging with our representatives. I believe in America, and I believe the American people will keep our politicians in check now, with peaceful dissent and intelligent responses to issues. Maybe we just need to kick 'em all out and start fresh!That's what I tell people about their thoughts and opinions when they come here for a retreat - kick them all out and start fresh! Thanks Jim, maybe shorter terms? -- six weeks :)
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