Some time back Lars Larson, one of the “enemy” as I see it – the “right” wing talkers who put money ahead of principle – who are willing to spout the “talking points” of the corporate masters to the point that I suspect they actually begin to believe their own lies – called me an “elitist” for making a reference to “low information voters.”  I was pointing out who their target audience was (the right wing talkers, that is), and instead of challenging the premise of my argument Larson did the usual character assasination ploy.  I responded to his charge trying to draw him into a debate without success – I’m sure because my little spot in cyberspace is REALLY SMALL and because people like Larson seem to have no response to any rational challenge of their made up “facts.”  I’m pointing this out because, unfortunately, many of the so-called “low information voters” are friends of mine.  I’m a school teacher and most of the people I work with you would have to refer to as “educated.”  However, that being said, they are also mostly caught up in the new “American way” of scrambling from month to month just to get the bills paid and take care of the children and/or grandchildren.  Also, many of my teacher friends are so focused on TEACHING that they don’t even want to get caught up in political discourse.

I’m not trying to defend that at all – I’m just saying that seems to be the way it is in America.  We are a nation with the longest history of self rule the world has ever known.  We have a representative democracy that was brilliantly set up by a group of “founders” who attempted to make it nearly impossible for any one group of people to CONTROL the government – hence, the system of “checks and balances.”  This system has worked for over two hundred years and it’s my contention that a large majority of Americans just assume it will continue to work as it has indefinitely.  I have to say that I truly hope they’re correct.  However, it feels to me that the very foundation of that system is under attack – and, one of the vulnerabilities is the “low information voters” I seem to talk about occasionally.  The problem is certainly more complicated than that – there is a clear partisan divide in America right now – but, when the actual fabric of the “system” is under assault I contend that it’s the people who’ve been educated to know what the founding principles of the nation are who we have to rely on to prevent a destruction of that fabric from “within.”

As a Christian I find that I’ve had to learn the true meaning of the word complacency to keep myself focused on growing in my faith.  Being a Christian has also exposed me to many people who I consider good friends who consider themselves republicans.  (for the sake of disclosure, I have given money to democratic candidates in the past 4 years and I gave money to the democratic party during the 2008 campaign – they think I’m a democrat – but, I’ve been an independent voter for over 40 years – I just refuse to vote for ANY republicans under the present circumstances – this is the result of the Bush tax cuts and the invasion of Iraq – for starters)  I’m saying all this because I believe complacency by the electorate is a dangerous impediment to our democracy – albeit in a different sense – just as it is to one’s spirituality.  It allows the “enemy” to take hold.  And, in America right now, I feel that corporate power is the enemy of “we the people.”  This is one of the main reasons for my TOTAL distrust of ALL republicans, because they are in lock step support of what appears to be a “melding” of corporate power and government.  If you’re not aware of where this potentially leads, well, the answer is fascism.

How do we end up with a large group of “low information voters?”  Well, the free press was always referred to as the “fourth estate.”  We have the executive branch of government, the judicial branch, and the legislative branch – the three original branches of government set up by our “founders.”  The “fourth  estate” was designed to keep the public informed as to what is going on in the three main branches of government.  Initially, they chose to insure a “free press” – hence the FIRST amendment to the constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech and freedom of the press.  Without those two guarantees everything else is on shaky grounds.  Well, it seems to me that this is the first indication that “we the people” are on shaky grounds.  Our “free press” seems to be on shaky grounds.  Many of the nation’s newspapers are shutting down because they cannot compete financially and many of the “news” outlets which remain are questionable as far as being news outlets.  Yes, information is available for those who want to find it – but, in my view, the level of trust with the so-called “news media” is getting lower and lower all the time.  Most people I talk to feel that none of the media outlets can be trusted.  The “right” has gone to great lengths to vilify the media as “liberal” all the while as various components of their philosophy have been buying up most of the media outlets.  It is rare anymore, from what I see, to watch, listen to, or read “news” that doesn’t appear to be biased – purposely biased that is (I believe we’re all biased whether we want to admit to that or not – but, slanting “facts” on purpose is another matter).  So, one has to “fact check” all information, and that is where I believe most Americans fall short.  They either don’t have the time, energy, or inclination to fact check what they hear – plus, many of us inherently grew up believing members of the “press” were honor bound to ALWAYS tell the truth.  So voters are making voting decisions based on sound bites and dishonest information (and, yes, I believe this is a bipartisan problem if Lars or any other “right” winger happens onto this post).  Hence, “low information voters.”

A good example of this phenomenom is my belief that many of my “republican” friends wouldn’t have anything to do with the republican party if they really knew what the party was doing.  Most of them have been voting republican for years because they believe the republicans are going to get Roe v Wade reversed – they HATE the idea of all the abortions which have happenend in America over the last 30+ years and they blame the democrats for this.  Without getting into the abortion issue here, what I find interesting is that most of them – if they knew the depth of racism in the republican party – would have nothing to do with republicans – similar to me.  If they understood the torturing which has been authorized by republican leaders they would be repulsed – just as me.  If they really stopped to think about who has caused the HUGE national debt which is bothering just about everyone – they’d be turned off to the republican “trickle down” theory – just as me.  And, I could go on – these people vote based on their belief that by voting republican they’re opposing abortion and they feel morally obligated to do so.  Not one of them that I’ve been able to strike up a conversation with on the subject has EVER researched why the republicans have supposedly had this on their agenda for over 30 years, yet nothing has ever been done about it – they fail to understand that as long as they continue to BLINDLY vote for republicans on this one issue – nothing will be done about in the next 30 years either.  It doesn’t make sense to them that if Roe v Wade was overturned, then the republicans would have to find another way to enlist their BLIND loyalty. (although Sarah Palin lately has been making a good effort at convincing the “right” that democrats are after their guns – maybe that’s the new “wedge” issue)

The “block” of voters who vote republican based on the abortion issue is what gives republicans any chance in elections.  The other thing which gives them a chance is the disfunction in the democratic party – and, essentially, whether we like it or not we are still a nation which is governed by one of the two major parties.  The republicans have been scheming about a “permanent republican majority” since the days of Ronald Reagan and I think they would have succeeded had Bush/Cheney not been so incredibly incompetent (which could be a problem going forward because so far there hasn’t appeared a republican “leader” who is much different than Bush – In fact, I still contend the most likely candidate for 2012 is the other Bush – Jeb).  Just imagine what the Supreme Court would look like today had McCain/Palin prevailed in 2008.  The republicans have figured out the importance of controlling the Courts and the “fourth estate” – which allows them to “sneak” their way into a tight “grip” on the entire government – kind of like flying under the radar.

The thought of this possibility still existing brings me right back to the “low information voters” I’ve mentioned tonight and on other occasions.  Since the Court decided that corporations should have the “free speech” rights of individuals with an unlimited ability to influence our political process through advertising I’ve been polling people who I believe should know what “Citizens United” means.  So far, I haven’t found a single person who knows what I’m talking about.  The other day I asked a friend of mine who is a high level computer programmer and he had no idea what I was talking about – until I started to explain it to him.  He had heard of it, but not to the extent that he understood any of the possible ramifications of the decision.  A week ago, I was out with some teacher friends of mine – people who pride themselves on being informed – including two prinicpals – and NONE of them had any idea what I was talking about when I asked them what they thought of the “Citizens United” decision.  I have come up with the same result OVER AND OVER again since the decision itself.  And, worst of all, none of the people I asked wanted to talk about it because they’re “sick of politics.”

It’s the toxic atmosphere that exists in America today when average people discuss politics that turns people off – for the very reasons I’ve outlined above.  If I have a conversation with a “ditto head” (for anyone who might not know what that means – it’s a Rush Limbaugh devotee) who actually believes Limbaugh’s CRAP I have no patience with them – in fact, I’ve chosen to end a couple relationships with friends because I just got tired of trying to even get them to listen to another perspective – both of them would start yelling ugly things about “liberals.”  I believe all of this – the toxic atmosphere, the control of the media outlets, the talking “heads” with the “talking points” which have NO basis in truth, along with a Supreme Court willing to make decisions like “Citizens United” – is all part of a larger scheme for a “right wing” takeover of our government which will be EXTREMELY difficult to overcome should it succeed.   Expecting some kind of repeal of “Citizens United” after it’s had an election or two to have an impact is, in my view, worse than naive – it’s stupid.

Therefore, I certainly feel compelled to continue writing – even though only a few hundred people view each of my posts.  My hope is that if enough Americans try to find out what is REALLY going on in our politics we have a better chance of stopping this SCHEME – not knowing who’s totally behind it.  It seems that in America we don’t act until things get to the desperate stage.  Scientists are claiming in unison that climate change is a potentially devestating problem – yet we have a political party standing in the way of any action to diffuse it – under the guise that acting to head off “global warming” is “anti-business.”  I’m thinking New York or Los Angeles under water will finally get some people’s attention.  We’ve allowed the two “occupations” of Iraq and Afganistan to just go on and on and on – all with borrowed money.  Maybe, our country will have to go bankrupt before we decide we’ve had enough in the middle east.  And, the energy crisis.  Sometimes I wonder whether the politicians in Washington have even noticed.  Is it going to take long lines at the pump, rationing, and shortages to get the point across to them?  And, as far as our political system itself, the “low information voter” problem, to me, is real.  Do republicans REALLY want corporations to be controlling our elections?  I honestly don’t believe the rank and file republicans want that at all.  But the Mitch McConnell’s and John Boehner’s are jumping for joy because in their minds the Citizens United decision means a greater chance for them to gain what is most important to them – and that is power.  Many people are predicting the republicans will retake the House of Representatives in November.  To me, that would be like hiring a demolition firm to remodel my house.  It’s the republicans who created the deficit, the intractable occupations, the collapsed economy, the entire mess we’re all dealing with.  Why would the voters choose them to fix it?  (Under Bush/Cheney eight million people lost their jobs – now republicans don’t want them to receive unemployment benefits – what’s up with that? – come on Lars, explain yourself here!)