Of course, we have run into yet another governmental deadline: by Dec. 1, today, the problems with HealthCare.gov are supposed to be cleared up.
Good luck to us with that. Check out The New York Times' article, Sunday Breakfast Menu, which doesn't specify the details but promises more information as the topic surely advances this week.
It seems as if our society is headed for dystopia no matter which direction we go: too little government, and we'll end up in a Lord-of-the-Flies situation where we are forced to make our own rules; too much government, and 1984's Big Brother and Party will reappear.
But with all this NSA phone tapping, I'd better watch out what I say to guard against thoughtcrime. Or espionage and/or sedition. Because those are still things.
Showing posts with label US government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US government. Show all posts
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
US White House Falling Down, Falling Down, Falling Down...
What could be a more appropriate way to begin a discussion about dystopias than the shut down of our very own government? For the first time in almost twenty years, the US government has shut down. If you missed that, or missed why that happened, check out this article, "Government Shuts Down In Budget Impasse," from The New York Times (Sept 30).
Without starting a belabored discussion about the dismal state of affairs in the world of US government, it is safe to say that this lack-of-an-operating government stems from the fact that today, our country is more politically polarized than since post-Civil-War Reconstruction. This polarization has grown from the general population and now infects Congress; fewer representatives and senators identify as 'moderate,' and what happens? Congress can't agree on a new budget after delaying for nine months (the budget was supposed to be ready by January... and then was extended to March... then sequestration happened...) If you like charts and graphs, this Voteview.com article, "The Polarization of the Congressional Parties," graphs out the progression of political polarization from 1879 to 2009 with multiple charts.
What are the implications of this tendency toward extremism, at least in political ideology?
Without starting a belabored discussion about the dismal state of affairs in the world of US government, it is safe to say that this lack-of-an-operating government stems from the fact that today, our country is more politically polarized than since post-Civil-War Reconstruction. This polarization has grown from the general population and now infects Congress; fewer representatives and senators identify as 'moderate,' and what happens? Congress can't agree on a new budget after delaying for nine months (the budget was supposed to be ready by January... and then was extended to March... then sequestration happened...) If you like charts and graphs, this Voteview.com article, "The Polarization of the Congressional Parties," graphs out the progression of political polarization from 1879 to 2009 with multiple charts.
What are the implications of this tendency toward extremism, at least in political ideology?
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