Abdication of power and why we won’t do anything

Another mass shooting has taken place in America and it seems like this is the new normal. This takes place against the backdrop of the mass shootings that take place in my hometown of Chicago on a daily basis.

These events have no shock value anymore, this is old hat.

The one consistent thing that will come out of this is that more fingerpointing will ensue, partisanship will reign supreme while solutions wither and die on the proverbial vine, just like they always do.

The sad reality is that nothing of substance will come of this latest tragedy because national politicians will never bite the hand that feeds them, ever!

Consider the policies and solutions that came from any of the previous mass shootings…

Take your pick. (Crickets)

Predictably, any bills in response to the tragedies never come to a vote.

The answer always seems to be.

Do nothing, at all.

Unless the platitudes that are spewed through the standard news conferences that will ultimately follow, counts as quantifiable action.

This dynamic echoes something that I’ve known for a very long time.

National politicians have the courage of their convictions, only when it comes to getting into office and maintaining their tenuous hold on power.

The hilarity of the public herding themselves into partisan camps and labeling themselves as Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Liberal and the like is galling because of the effect that it has in distracting us from the issue of primary importance…

You are not being represented.

I’m inclined to think that the appropriate label should be that of jackass, because that it how we conduct ourselves.

Given that the respective parties do the exact same thing when they get into power would be a sign that we should “throw the bums out” but, such an action would require a higher level of thought that it seems we are incapable of.

Career politicans, a two party system, and a disengaged electorate is a toxic mixture.

If one is to go by the vile commentary that is a fixture on comment boards across the Internet there can’t be any wonder that we are mired in our current conundrum.

It is an “us versus them” mob mentality, but that is a carefully coifed distraction.

We live in a plutocracy. The money that floods the political system is an unspoken middle finger to those who don’t have the financial muscle to influence policy to their benefit.

People are more educated on the cult of celebrity whether it is through the venue of music, entertainment or sports than they are on the issues that ultimately impact their everyday lives.

A refrain that I often hear about the topic of history, which is in my opinion an essential key to empowerment. Is that it is dry, boring and that it can only be embraced if it is an option of last resort.

Abdication of our fate to those who study, understand and use history to influence the present, is the gift that keeps on giving and it runs counter to something that my Grandmother says to this day.

Get off your rump and do something!