The Triple-A Boot

So, the United States is no longer in the AAA club... AAA credit rating club, that is. Downgraded to a lowly AA+. Should any of us be surprised?

I saw the headlines and figured I'd do a little Saturday morning reading. For the most part, the blame is on Congress and President Obama's plates. However, we forgot to blame one crucial thing.

The nonchalance of the "silent majority" of American people.

While we sit around and gripe about how Congress is acting like a bunch of babies, they continue to do exactly what we elect them to do. They are human beings with flaws, just like us. They lie, they cheat, they steal, and they manipulate -- no different than the their bosses that hired them. Then, we've put hundreds of them in a squared circle... each of them have their own needs and agendas to fight for based upon the people they represent.

Now comes the good part. Insert the hardliners -- the bosses that insist that you DO THIS OR ELSE!! What would you do if 100,000 of your supervisors came to you and demanded that you do something or be fired? You probably would do it, depending on your circumstances and whether or not the demand was outright criminal... especially if you have mouths to feed at home or people to take care of in your personal life. So, they blindly fall in line like mindless robots... brainwashed by the allure of power, money, prestige -- and more importantly fear of losing their job. Sounds like ordinary human beings to me -- just like those who elect them.

If we want positive results, perhaps we should lead by example. We need to teach future generations of politicians about respect and the difference between hurtful dialogue and healthy debate. We need to instill into them that having different backgrounds, qualities, and opinions are okay -- and that each and every one of us has something to contribute to a better society. Listen with an open mind, and then react... and let them know they aren't going to necessarily be punished for reaching across the aisle. After all, if we can't do this in public -- how realistic is it to believe we'd do it in office?