Lust for Truth

 In my younger days, I was very involved with politics. I donated to the treasure chests of various campaigns. I kept myself informed on the issues of the day, and even worked on a couple of campaigns. One day I woke up and realized that it just doesn't matter. Regardless of which party is in charge of government at all levels, there are certain paths that we go down. I am not commenting at the moment on whether the paths are positive or negative. But there does seem to be a certain inevitability about them.

1. More people need more help with more aspects of their life. Self-sufficiency is an outmoded concept that most people learn about only in history books. Those who try to practice it today are dismissed as wacky and dangerous "survivalists."

2. It has become much more fashionable and politically expedient for governments to borrow more money than to raise revenue through taxes. Our $20 + trillion national debt is solid proof of that. I fear very much how this problem will be resolved one day.

3. Each one of us perceives that everyone else is getting more "handouts" from the government than we are.

4. Most elected officials will do and say anything to perpetuate themselves in their current offices. It is generally easier to make money (and a sweet pension) in government than in the private sector. Your upside on salary is finite when you work for the government. But, if you are an elected official, you usually can keep your job for as long as you want. People re-elect incumbents without much thought.

5. Free speech took a hard hit after 9/11/2001. It has been taking a series of softer, but no less effective, hits under the idea that "hate speech" must be deterred, punished and ultimately silenced.

6. Politicians rarely ever disagree without being utterly disagreeable. This started during the Obama administration and has accelerated rapidly in the last 10 years.

7. Money funneled to candidates, parties and so-called action committees has ruined campaigns and guaranteed that elected officials will pay more attention to those who bankroll them than to the people. I note this is not new. This has been the case for at least 150 years. The Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court in 2010 has made it worse.

  Truth cannot be found among those who purport to represent us. Where is it? Can it even be found among human beings?

  I am coming to believe that truth can be found only in faith in a higher power. What we create here on earth is flawed and very often motivated by a lust for fame, power, riches and fear of our own mortality.

(Edited on 9/25/19)