Politics as Usual (?)

As a proposed scholar, as much as my degrees let me boast about it, there are some things that the "establishment" mandates you learn, and of those mandates, quantitative analysis is quite possibly the biggest concept they impress upon burgeoning students. You must have measurements to support your arguments. However, some of the things that too often get overlooked within the political arena are extremely difficult if not impossible to measure. The two that I find most intriguing in this election cycle are hope and fatigue, in that order.

Hope -The argument whether the media, by nature, is pessimistic or optimistic aside, it is hard to hear "good news" anywhere within the public discourse. Yet, I believe, that it is government's role and the role of our leaders to instill hope within us. Not only must they balance the budget, manage real world threats, discuss the rights of humanity but they must give us promise for the future and promise for today. Enough of the divisive wedge issue politics that leave the electorate jaded, depressed, or scared. Don't tell us what the other guy isn't doing tell us what you're going to do. Now I know right now my brother would be telling me how can you trust anything these guys say make them show you, and in some partiality he's right, but words are strong they can inspire they can hearten they can move to a better tomorrow.

Fatigue - I'm a "politics guy," I like the polls, the debates, and in some cases the pageantry. (No not the "beauty" kind Sarah Palin fans) However, even I get tired of every ad that has been ran on the radio, on the TV, on my search engine, let's get this over with. The barrage of negativity at every corner, the pleading for votes, and the endless supply of cash on all sides to buy up all breathable space on the airwaves gets to be extremely tiring.

Which brings me to my point, if this is "politics as usual" no wonder the social scientists and media constantly bring up the apathy in the younger generation. Why wouldn't Generation X, the Millennial Generation and all others move on to topics and subjects that bring them hope and inspire them? Yes government has to pay the bills but as stated earlier it has to inspire to change to make the world better for after all isn't that the point of government overall?