Why We Need Politics

 They're all in it for themselves

You can't trust a politician

All politicians are crooks

All they do is lie 

A politician will say anything to get elected

They're in it for the money

He's nothing but a politician

We need somebody whose not a politician

America should be run like a business

Government is not the solution to the problem. Government is the problem. 

President Ronald Reagan in 1981. 

We've all heard these things before. If you're like me you've probably thought or said some of them at some point. It's a fact politics can be disappointing and lead to disillusionment. The gridlock, ugly debates, and bad policies are a turn off. Yet we need politics to govern ourselves with all our differences and conflicts. If you got rid of representative democracy you would still have politics, and things would be worse because you wouldn't have a voice or the ability to influence those in authority. So why do Americans have such contempt for politics ? Is it due to the influence of big money and lobbyists ? Yes it is. Is it the power of special interest groups ? Sure. It's partisanship - those who put party above everything and everyone else. Yeah you got a point there. 

We are a nation born out violent revolution against a King and his ministers. We are very skeptical if not totally against anything except the most minimal government. We worry about a government that tries to solve social problems or interferes in the economy. We don't want a government that messes in our personal lives or tries to make us virtuous in any particular way. We want freedom. Freedom as individuals to do our own thing. We want to make our own way. No matter whether we left or right we all believe in a limited government to some extent. However, most Americans like certain things a big activist government does like Social Security, Medicare, and insuring banks. We might hate EPA regulations and bureaucrats, but we want clean air and water. We may complain about welfare and people getting a check, yet nobody wants to get rid of Unemployment Insurance. Well all this stuff exist because politicians came up with it. It's maintained against a backdrop of deals and deal making. There are contentious arguments among legislators who vote on government budgets and funding. It all involves politics. Most people no matter what they think about politicians wants government to stop doing these things. 

Our democracy isn't just minority rule and majority rights. It's governance built on compromise. Nobody gets everything they want the way they want. It's time consuming too. For the most idealistic people or rationalistic intellectuals who can be unrealistic democracy is frustrating. No matter how strongly you feel you can't dismiss others and govern. Politicians get the job done. Moreover in a liberal democracy like ours we strive to treat everyone equal and uphold certain individual rights. Liberal Democracy limits what government can do and it allows for a lot of pluralism. You can't just eliminate your opposition through legal or extra legal means. You have to persuade others to govern and get what you want. We may not like what politicians say and do in public or behind closed doors but they keep it functioning. 

So what's the alternative to all this messy and unsatisfying politics. Get rid of representative democracy. You could have a benevolent dictator. Perhaps a few wise, decent, skilled people at the top might get things done. You have a strong straight talking business type like President Trump. It's a mess, but lots of people support him. What if one party could just dominate things like the GOP does. People who support them still don't get everything they want like - repeal of the ACA. You can't get beyond politics because it's about us. There's no other way to be free and stable. 

Some will read this and say don't lecture me about civics. Others may think that I'm denying or downplaying the problem. Not to mention the danger posed by money from the wealthy and corporations to our politicians. Still I'm troubled by the cynicism and contempt for politics in myself and others. It's not good for our freedom or the democracy on which it depends. We have President Trump because some people didn't vote. They hated politics. They mistrusted politicians. I think it's terrible. But it's not just a problem on the right. Liberals and leftists feel the same way. Too many of us are purists who disdain politics and governance because it doesn't completely go our way. That's not good. Furthermore we can't be consumed by anger and vilify everyone who disagrees with us. Despiite it's imperfections and disappointments we need politics.