Read other letters about this article

• Tuesday, August 26, 2008 09:01 AM

  sad

  I'm glad Michelle Obama gave an effective speech last night. It's important. Whatever it takes to get the GOP out of the White House.

  But... does anyone here find it increasingly outrageous that our political discourse has devolved to the point that it has to appeal to a handful of independents and undecideds in a few swing states? People so ignorant, and/or deluded, and/or heedless that only the simplest, most manipulative message can get through to them?

  By sharply polarizing us, the GOP has set back the cause of a more sophisticated political dialog by at least a century. And they did it completely by design. There is no Hell low enough, and hot enough, for them.

  But now we have to live in the country they have made, and I find it profoundly dispiriting that our political discourse has been reduced utterly to safe platitudes, manipulative bullshit, and completely mendacious character assassination

  (except when it refers to the GOP...that's their greatest achievement, btw: calling them sleazy scumbags is only accurate, when they lie about their opponents they're able to project their own sleaze outward onto others. Goebbles couldn't have done it better..)

  I think about Ben Franklin's famous comment daily "a republic, if you can keep it." Note that the question that provoked that reply was "which is it, Dr. Franklin, a *monarchy* or a republic?" It's clear enough what alternative Franklin had in mind when he made his reply. We're well down the road to perdition, politically, I wonder if Obama can, or will, stop the slide.

  —had_enough Read had_enough's other letters
  Permalink
  Flag
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel