Backwards we go.

As a teacher of American Government, I pride myself on knowing the history of our nation from its roots and beyond. I never share my own personal political viewpoints with my students. They aren't reading this blog, so I have little doubt my efforts to have them understand all sides of an issue while being open and objective will remain largely successful. Now, however, teachers of this subject need to add to their list of curriculum topics the issue of dysfunction. There are those who believe that slow government, vitriolic debate and nasty viewpoints of different perspectives are what our founding fathers wanted. It is my view, however, that were they around today, they would be quite disappointed with how much of their work turned out. They imagined and hoped for open debate, but not for total dysfunction. Their worst fears about factions seem to have become a reality that would make James Madison give a big I told you so. Then, unlike now, we had the smartest and most learned men of differing viewpoints able to make constructive and intelligent points on matters of importance from both sides. They were well read, they spoke and wrote with eloquence and they were wise. Listening to a Michelle Bachmann talk about the founding fathers' tireless effrots to end slavery while they owned them, hearing Herman Cain not able to distinguish between Libya and Liberia, and watching Newt and Mitt swing like Tarzan's vines from issue to issue is not only laughable, but quite sad. This is what you get when the American public doesn't do the work. The founders set up a system that kept the masses at bay because of their legitimate fears about a less knowledgeable electorate having to make choices, but today, there is no excuse. We have the means, the technology and the ability to get to the truth. However, we don't. We respond to the idiocy and inaccuracy of candidates who wish to lead our nation without any priority other than to defeat the common enemy on the other side of the political spectrum. It is getting worse by the hour. These two parties cannot work together and do not understand what the founding fathers did, that the health of the nation transcends all. These folks just don't and won't get it. We are all the worse for it. We are going backwards. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?