Whackadoodle Politics, or If wishes were fishes, we'd all have a fry.
If dreams came true, we’d all be wealthy. If hopes could buy, we’d all have plenty. If desires were dollars, we’d all be rich. Sorry guys, but Life's a ... something that rhymes with rich.
She slammed her backpack down in front of me and sat down with a humph. “I hate it when politicians accuse their opponents of moving too far to the left, or too far to the right. Can’t people see that statements like that lack substance?”
“What would you like politicians to talk about?” I asked, pushing her backpack off the paper I’d been editing.
“I don’t know what I would like them to say say, but I do know what I would ask them if I were the one interviewing them.”
“What?” I asked, suddenly curious.
“If they were going on and on about how left, or right, an opponent had gotten, I’d ask them exactly what what policies they disagree with. Their stance on Climate Change? Abortion Rights? Voting Rights? Immigration Reform? Tax Reform? International Relationships? What makes that gal so left? What makes that guy so right? And how do your policies differ?”
“So you want politicians to talk policies, not politics?” I asked with as much irony as I could muster.
“Yeah, I know,” she started to laugh. “If wishes were fishes, we’d all have a fry.”
I looked back down at the paper I’d been editing. “If I were you, I worry less about what their doing, and more about what you’re doing about it.”
“What can I do?” she objected.
“Well for one thing, you could become fluent in the language of politics, so that you can develop a more effective response to what their saying than slamming your backpack down in front of your unsuspecting tutor.”
“Fluent in politics?” her eyes narrowed.
“Yes, understand both how they speak, and why they speak the way they do. What are their words trying to accomplish? That way you can better understand their individual motives.”
“Hum,” she grunted thoughtfully, then sat quietly while I finished editing my paper.
I’ve always thought it is more important to know what a political has done than listening to what they say, The internet can tell you a lot about any politician.