Why politics matters, again

     At a gathering this evening of young people I heard once again the version of politics that almost causes me to howl in pain. The discussion was about the great boon that information technology is to politics. The young people were particularly excited about the gigabytes of data on all of us that are out there in cyberspace. Especially, what churches we go (“Where they believe in creationism? abortion? gay marriage?), where we shop (Costco?  WalMart?  the local grocer?), what purchases we make (Guns? SUVs? ATVs?) what movies we watch on Netflix (Sci-fi? Chase and Crash thrillers? Animated?) and what music we listen to (classical? oldies? hip-hop? country?).

     All this info helps campaigners fill in our profiles with laser accuracy. These profiles, in turn, allow the campaign managers to target us with laser accuracy. No waste of time or money if we aren't likely to vote as they want us to. Oh, by the way, it is technology used most successfully by Obama. 

     What is gone is the public forum and any attempt to convince one another about what constitutes the common good. Is it any wonder, then, inside the ballot booth we forget about jobs and justice, financial well-being and health care? We remember only that twitter about the First Lady wanting to stop us from eating pizza, or that scary email about what the local LGTB task force is planning.

     This drift in the discussion was disturbing enough. But hold on, there’s more, something insidious began to bother me. Listening to these college grads you would think that politics is a game, filled with challenge and excitement but lacking all passion. It is like rooting for one’s team. Winning is what is important.

     One of the young people, a legislative aide, went so far as to explain his commitment to the political process as a commitment to his legislator’s victory. This young man’s beliefs and aspirations about the sort of world he would want for his children are irrelevant to what happens in the statehouse. He explained that he keeps his beliefs carefully contained in his head. All that matters is doing his job effectively enough that his team wins.

     There was no point in spoiling the fun of these people, so I stuffed the weird notion that politics should be a public forum in which we work to enlarge the circle of those who survive and live well. And engagement in politics is not a game or hobby or curious inclination. It is about seeking to avert disasters caused by global warming; improve education; bring reconciliation and peace to ancient and new enemies; provide food for the increasing number of the hungry and starving; create meaningful work for the unemployed and under-employed; secure an even playing field so that everyone has an opportunity to earn a dignified living; rescue the victims of “victimless” crimes, including the sex trade and abortion; extend civil rights; and, last but not least, to create, as much as possible, a truly free market with protections for the most vulnerable from the pillage of ponzi schemes, embezzlement and tax evasion. In short, politics is a passion to better the world and exercise what Thomas Jefferson called our inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness.