Visit the booth for the Independence Party
Published 9:24 am Monday, July 28, 2008
In the coming weeks we’ll all be treated to the spectacle of party gatherings: the Republicans in St. Paul and the Democrats in Denver. Already there have been stories about the millions being spent on the rerouting of ordinary commuters, the security perimeters to keep delegates and citizens apart, the elegant cocktail parties sponsored by political action committees and lobbyists. Diehard supporters of those two parties probably think this is great, but for most of the rest of us, I suspect it looks pretty silly — and pretty expensive.
What’s the point of those gatherings? We already know who the nominees for president are. The platform will be a done deal before the first speech is broadcast. In fact, these “conventions” seem more like celebrations, like “parties” (using the other definition of the word) with music and special effects, than they look like true political gatherings where serious discussions and debates will take place. Everything is choreographed and carefully controlled; ordinary citizens will only be able to passively watch via television.
It would be more fun to watch the empty spectacles (subsidized by federal tax dollars) if it wasn’t so depressingly familiar. How many decisions in St. Paul or Washington are made after serious, public debate? How many are actually made during closed-room discussions, away from the public eye? Too often we only see two extremes trumpeted in the press by party spokespeople, with dire consequences if the other side’s ideas win the day. Are all options and positions really part of the decision-making process? And worst of all, elected officials from both parties act as if they are the inevitable leaders, the only voices worth listening to. And what they’re not listening to are the reality of mounting deficits, deteriorating infrastructure and presidential power grabs.
If you find all of this posing and posturing as dangerously empty as I do, there is a group of people trying to make a real difference. Please check out the Independence Party booth at this week’s fair, come to one of our coffee clubs (the fourth Saturday of each month) or go to the IP’s Web site (www.mnip.org). You may find our alternative view of politics and governance more reality-based (and more to your liking).
David Behling
Albert Lea