One more time…if we don’t learn from history we are bound to experience it, again.
While preparing a talk I’m giving about symbols I decided to use those for the two major political parties of the United States: the Donkey or Jackass and the Elephant. To my surprize I discovered they stuck as symbols back in the 1800’s when political cartoonist used them to lampoon a couple of our Presidents.
First, the symbol for the Democratic Party. The donkey is symbolic of patience, forbearance, suffering and stubbornness. It relates to having great stamina but not much power and creativity. And it concerns the feeling that there is a need for martyrdom to be expressed in satisfying another's wants, needs, and desires. The jackass symbolizes a stupid remark or action.*
Our 7th President, Andrew Jackson, was lampooned as a donkey. He genuinely feared the rise of a moneyed elite that he believed was bent on enriching themselves at the expense of the hardworking people of the United States and said in his Farewell address to America in 1837 : "...unless you become more watchful...and check this spirit of monopoly and thirst for exclusive privileges you will in the end find that the most important powers of Government have been given...away, and the control over your dearest interests has passed into the hands of these corporations."
It’s rather interesting that the quote is being similarly said by many a person today and found in our current newscasts.
Second, the symbol for the Republican Party. The elephant symbolizes the need to be thick skinned as it indicates a belief that survival requires hard work and sustaining energy because gaining power is of primary importance. It also indicates an inability to be forgiving due to the refusal to ever forget anything from the past.*
It was another political cartoonist, disgusted with the numerous scandals caused by our 17th President, Ulysses S. Grant’s lack of personal accountability among his subordinates and the cabinet members of his administration, who drew the Republican “vote” as a marauding elephant that became commonly used by other cartoonists eventually to be immediately recognized as the emblem for the Republican Party.
Once again, those scandals and lack of accountability by our political administrations could be easily related as a news item today.
Clearly, a symbol does not have to be kind to whatever or whomever it depicts for it to catch-on and stay stuck.
*"The Sandman’s Treasury", May Sinclair Copyright 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Where do we go now?
It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything that is considered political, mainly because the political “is” personal and I’ve been so upset with the mess this country has found itself in which is based on the lack of concern from the vast majority of the politicians that I couldn’t get my thoughts onto paper, feeling like many: “What’s the use?”
I’m now looking at the fact that we will all be facing another election for the President of the United States without any true options. The campaign platform from Obama was not realized. He made promises of change that were not remotely kept. Both the Republican and Democratic Parties are filled with strife and the people who are willing to run for the office of President are both ridiculous and scary. So, where does that leave the vast majority of people who have been and remain affected by the political system that everyone agrees is broken? Maybe, it leaves us in a situation where we need another option. A third party, perhaps? Many say that won’t work because it will only take votes away from the Democratic Party, ensuring the Republicans will win the election. Well, I disagree with that thinking. After all, Obama won the last election because people believed him and his fine rhetoric about “change”.
Right now I’m cautiously looking at the options that are being created by various organizations that are doing what is necessary to form another way to get the United States of America back on track. That is possible. I don’t see is being possible by allowing the “broken system” to continue. We are living at a time when the citizens of this country are maturing. We tried to elect someone who gave the impression that he would “save” us and now realize we are going to have to save ourselves. All of the groups that can make a difference and change are going to need to support the people who have already shown what they stand for by looking at how they have formed, or re-formed, and voted on the issues that affect all of us. Those who have already shown that it is important for this country to get back to work rather than squabble over the finer points of ideology.
I’m a self-employed woman and am no more interested in a huge government that forms a welfare state than most other people. But, I am not so tunnel-visioned that I can’t see that the government needs to take actions to get people back to work, either. There are too many large corporations that have the edge over the small companies, especially when it comes to fossil fuels or renewable energy sources. The health insurance systems are based on profit rather than health care. There are too many comfortable politicians that listen to those rich corporation’s lobbyists and gain wealth from them to let the business communities regulate themselves. As long as the politicians are allowed to be kept separate from the average person they have no incentive to make “changes”. That is, unless they are not greedy and fearful, which is not the case for the vast majority who are content since they do not have to participate in Social Security, Medicare, and the need to contribute to their own retirement plan. And that is why the Democratic Party is worse off that the Republican Party. The Republicans are forced to vote the Party’s line or they don’t get the stay in office. Whereas far too many of the Democrats say one thing to get elected and then do something else when they are voted into office assuming the citizens of this country are not smart enough to come up with another option.
I don’t know which of the other options are the means of cleaning up the political mess yet, but I do know the ones we’ve had up till now are unacceptable.
I’m now looking at the fact that we will all be facing another election for the President of the United States without any true options. The campaign platform from Obama was not realized. He made promises of change that were not remotely kept. Both the Republican and Democratic Parties are filled with strife and the people who are willing to run for the office of President are both ridiculous and scary. So, where does that leave the vast majority of people who have been and remain affected by the political system that everyone agrees is broken? Maybe, it leaves us in a situation where we need another option. A third party, perhaps? Many say that won’t work because it will only take votes away from the Democratic Party, ensuring the Republicans will win the election. Well, I disagree with that thinking. After all, Obama won the last election because people believed him and his fine rhetoric about “change”.
Right now I’m cautiously looking at the options that are being created by various organizations that are doing what is necessary to form another way to get the United States of America back on track. That is possible. I don’t see is being possible by allowing the “broken system” to continue. We are living at a time when the citizens of this country are maturing. We tried to elect someone who gave the impression that he would “save” us and now realize we are going to have to save ourselves. All of the groups that can make a difference and change are going to need to support the people who have already shown what they stand for by looking at how they have formed, or re-formed, and voted on the issues that affect all of us. Those who have already shown that it is important for this country to get back to work rather than squabble over the finer points of ideology.
I’m a self-employed woman and am no more interested in a huge government that forms a welfare state than most other people. But, I am not so tunnel-visioned that I can’t see that the government needs to take actions to get people back to work, either. There are too many large corporations that have the edge over the small companies, especially when it comes to fossil fuels or renewable energy sources. The health insurance systems are based on profit rather than health care. There are too many comfortable politicians that listen to those rich corporation’s lobbyists and gain wealth from them to let the business communities regulate themselves. As long as the politicians are allowed to be kept separate from the average person they have no incentive to make “changes”. That is, unless they are not greedy and fearful, which is not the case for the vast majority who are content since they do not have to participate in Social Security, Medicare, and the need to contribute to their own retirement plan. And that is why the Democratic Party is worse off that the Republican Party. The Republicans are forced to vote the Party’s line or they don’t get the stay in office. Whereas far too many of the Democrats say one thing to get elected and then do something else when they are voted into office assuming the citizens of this country are not smart enough to come up with another option.
I don’t know which of the other options are the means of cleaning up the political mess yet, but I do know the ones we’ve had up till now are unacceptable.
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