Have a Cookie

Everyone's talking about the debt ceiling, as if this is somehow different from everything else government has done (or rather refused to do) lately.

They call Republicans the Party of No. In a two-party system, there is a place for conservatism, for a voice asking us to consider if we're going down the wrong track or moving too quickly. No doubt there are real conservatives out there. Today, however, we have a pack of spoiled children who are drowning out all the rational adult voices.

In a classic behavioral experiment, psychologists give children and adults a choice: they can have one cookie now or two later. Almost invariably the children take the single cookie, while the adults opt for two. They call the childish behavior "instant gratification" and the adult behavior "deferred gratification." Deferral is one of the bases of civilization. If you don't eat your whole crop during the year and set some aside, you can plant again next year. If you have extra money, you can loan it to someone who starts a new business, and later you may get your money back with interest. If everyone pays their fair share of taxes, the government will invest some of it in infrastructure and research, and later everyone benefits.

Today's Republicans appeal to the impulse for instant gratification. You should have your tax money now instead of waiting for it to bear fruit. You should run your business however you want now instead of coping with regulations. You should attack other cultures now instead of trying to learn about them or talk with them. We'll give you one cookie now if you'll sign over your interests in two future, and possibly imaginary, cookies.

They may not think that way, but they behave that way, and that's what counts. It's shameful, it's embarrassing for the grownups, but worst of all, it's helping to destroy our society and our country.

If it sounds like hyperbole, consider this. Since deservedly losing power in 2008, Congressional Republicans have accomplished nothing. Absolutely nothing. In the midst of the worst economy since the Depression, they've given up on their responsibilities to their constituents, to their country, and to their duly elected president. They behave like children who kick and scream because they don't get everything they want.

Republicans have managed to succeed at one thing: brainwashing. They've found a flaw in our democracy. To work properly, a democracy must have informed voters. For various reasons, though, Americans have mainly tuned out public matters. A good government is a boring government. A bad government gets certain people excited, and not in a good way. People make emotional decisions when they get excited, which is when they most need to make logical decisions.

So the Republicans tell the same lies as often and as loudly as they can. If they stir up greed, hatred, fear, anxiety, bigotry, if they make their opponents seem weak or indecisive, then they can always get certain segments of voters to the polls. It doesn't matter what we think we're voting for, just that we vote for them.

Here's something nobody talks about: why do Republicans want to get elected? They say government is the problem, so why become part of the problem? They say being an outsider is good, so why fight to become an insider? The truth should be obvious: they're lying. Their only goal is to gain power, and once they have it, to keep it. Once they have power, though, they don't know how to use it. They only know how to campaign. They become slaves of their wealthy contributors. The rhetoric and propaganda that got them into office make for lousy governance. Once the voters realize all that, they vote the Republicans out of office, and the cycle begins again.

That's where we are today, and that's where the real tragedy is. They never learn from their mistakes. Our country is facing problems that destroy livelihoods, families, institutions, even lives, and they do nothing but complain because they're not getting their way. The true work of a politician is to find workable compromises. These Republicans refuse to compromise. They have failed at their jobs and should resign.

Some call them zombies. Motivated by hunger, zombies have no conscience. Republicans have consciences, yet they choose to misinform, spread fear, block help for needy people, and funnel public money (your money) to those who already have too much. What they do is shameful. Even more shameful is that they get away with it so thoroughly. Apparently, though, shame in Washington became unfashionable after Joseph Welch called out Joseph McCarthy.

When children misbehave, they lie to hide it, and when they get caught, they lie to cover it up. The only difference here is that politicians are better liars. We the people need to be the adults and take back our country.