Journalists do their best to warn people of the danger foisted on them by politicians. The bigger damage to a free society, however, is when voters don't listen, but prefer the rhetoric propounded by a candidate whose only goal is to win.
True believers stir up big arguments in politics. They insist that their way is the right way, and all others are corrupt and bordering on evil.
Compromise is out.
Suspending the Constitution is not likely, but it's also not impossible if such radicals succeed. It has been done before, in other free nations and during wartime, but in most cases it was temporary and limited.
Recently, however, a presidential candidate and his followers challenged vote results in several states, and the issue went all the way to the Supreme Court. They lost every step.
Politics and government often dominate the news cycle, exceeded only by war and crime. But all four provide important material for news reports, and on an important news day they combine.
No wonder reporters tend to be cynical.
Commentators, however, try to avoid cynicism, even at the risk of offending readers and listeners who expect editorials to reflect their own opinions views.
Elections give the voting public an opportunity to choose those who reflect their views, even as they work to provide benefit to all members of the public, not just those who contribute financially to the election campaigns, but to all.
At least, that's what they claim.
American has long faced the reality that elected officials work for the benefit of a few, and not always the many. These few argue otherwise, but performance is a better judge than verbosity.
And whether people listen and pay attention is another issue, and whether they devote serious thought to resolving problems is still another.
Talk? Yes. Real action? Maybe.
The issue is complicated, since candidates and their supporters, as well as their opponents, all cite the First Amendment to the Constitution to guarantee their right of free speech and to disagree with any candidate.
The problem arises when one side wants to withdraw that right from the other side, even to the extent of threatening and even committing violence against their opponents.
There are symptoms in America today that this disease is threatening the health of society. And some of the more radical followers sent threats to those who follow the law and bring formal charges against their leader.
Warning. America is a nation of law, and any attempt to bypass law and order threatens the political health of all who live and love what tradition has brought them.
True believers stir up big arguments in politics. They insist that their way is the right way, and all others are corrupt and bordering on evil.
Compromise is out.
Suspending the Constitution is not likely, but it's also not impossible if such radicals succeed. It has been done before, in other free nations and during wartime, but in most cases it was temporary and limited.
Recently, however, a presidential candidate and his followers challenged vote results in several states, and the issue went all the way to the Supreme Court. They lost every step.
Politics and government often dominate the news cycle, exceeded only by war and crime. But all four provide important material for news reports, and on an important news day they combine.
No wonder reporters tend to be cynical.
Commentators, however, try to avoid cynicism, even at the risk of offending readers and listeners who expect editorials to reflect their own opinions views.
Elections give the voting public an opportunity to choose those who reflect their views, even as they work to provide benefit to all members of the public, not just those who contribute financially to the election campaigns, but to all.
At least, that's what they claim.
American has long faced the reality that elected officials work for the benefit of a few, and not always the many. These few argue otherwise, but performance is a better judge than verbosity.
And whether people listen and pay attention is another issue, and whether they devote serious thought to resolving problems is still another.
Talk? Yes. Real action? Maybe.
The issue is complicated, since candidates and their supporters, as well as their opponents, all cite the First Amendment to the Constitution to guarantee their right of free speech and to disagree with any candidate.
The problem arises when one side wants to withdraw that right from the other side, even to the extent of threatening and even committing violence against their opponents.
There are symptoms in America today that this disease is threatening the health of society. And some of the more radical followers sent threats to those who follow the law and bring formal charges against their leader.
Warning. America is a nation of law, and any attempt to bypass law and order threatens the political health of all who live and love what tradition has brought them.
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