On Politics - Trying to be Balanced.

On Politics - Trying to be Balanced. 

November 25, 2017 

This past year (2017) has been hard for me since my general inclination is to try to meet in the middle or truly find ways to solve problems.  At Oak Hills High School (1982-1985), our principal, Ed Eckel, used to remark that an educated person can effectively argue both sides of any issue.  I am not sure we live in a world where many people try to educate themselves on both sides of an issue.  It troubles me that we are becoming more and more tribal.  We all subscribe to our own news liturgy to inform us as Molly Worthen, has noted in Nov 2017 in the NYTimes.  While her article is more about the right, I can argue the left is equally as bad with their liturgy.  It seems like most nights everyone is just shouting at each other. 

I used to wind down around 8 pm or so and just mindlessly watch TV and stretch or do other things (clean up magazines, finish reading the morning paper).  However, it has become so toxic that it is getting harder for me to watch.  So, I have mostly kept it turned off.  I either watch PBS on my iPad or DVDs from the Great Courses now.  I probably should just cancel the TV/Cable, but I like watching the Tour de France in July.  I probably could just stream that as well.  Might be cheaper. 

Back to being balanced on both sides of the issues.  After the election, I began to try to see both sides of issues with my reading and viewing.  Probably more than 2 years ago, I started to read the Wall Street Journal.  I really like this newspaper and believe it is perhaps the best newspaper out there for overall news and information.  I’ve had a subscription to the NYTimes for more than 10 years I think.  While I do not agree with every opinion in the WSJ, it has certainly provided an alternative view.  Have also started reading the National Review which is highly conservative.  That is my balance to my long-standing subscriptions to Time and The Atlantic Monthly. 

I am concerned that our government and its responsibilities has almost become theater.  We have elected a president, but half the country is utterly ticked off about it.  This is in contrast to the other half of the country that greatly disliked our past president.  I recognize that over the last decade we have become highly tribal about presidents.  It is not helping us move forward as a country to remain on our side of each tribe.  It doesn’t help solve some very serious problems we have from poverty to a high number of kids with parents incarcerated (16% in Arkansas.  We lead the pack on this.).  I hope in this new year that we can find ways to work with others who have differences and try to get to creative and productive solutions.