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When I was a kid, one of my favorite movies was Doctor Dolittle (the original not the terrible remake). One of the reasons was the fantastic animals, one of which America seems to be quickly becoming - the Push-Me-Pull-You. This animal had two heads, one on each end and each wanting to go forward, its own relative forward. So too the electorate, in fact, it seems society as a whole is wanting to move in two opposite directions, with neither head seeing, much less acknowledging, that there is even a different direction other than the one it wants to move in.

Who would have thought that the country would have been so much worse off 20 years after the end of the Cold War? I don't mean economically, that seems to be cyclic no matter what the social conditions; rather, I'm talking about the divisiveness of the country.

Since the turn of the century, it seems as though there is a split going on in America much like the one that separated South America from Africa hundreds of millions of years ago. The left and the right are each looking in their own directions and like the fictional animal, neither one is moving, but each keeps the other from getting anywhere as well.

Unfortunately, the more these two forces tug, the biggest loser is America and all those who live in the middle of these two extreme forces. Many people didn't like Bush, so there was a big swing to the left and Obama got in. But the situation seems to be no better, so now we're taking a step in the other direction.

If any of you remember seeing Dolittle, you will remember that the animal never really got anywhere. That's the problem here. There are problems that must be addressed, but due to our inability to agree on anything, nothing will be done.

The struggle is such that I believe America's days as a world leader will do nothing but wane. Who wants to take advice or look up to a country that has such an inability to solve its own internal squabbling? Certainly, there are many countries out there with more problems than we have, but we have the potential and do nothing with it, which, I think, is an even bigger waste than anything else.

When one party replaces the other, time will be spent mostly in repealing legislation brought about by the first. When they get around to passing their own legislation, it will be the other party's priority to roll it back once it takes control again. The result is that the country will founder about, much like a rowboat with only one oar. Twenty years ago, the left and the right acknowledged each other even though there were things they disagreed on. Today, it seems that one side can only see the other as the enemy. The two extremes had been previously close to the center while now neither is even within sight of the middle.

Decisions must be made concerning a wide variety of issues - green technology development, reconstruction of the country's energy infrastructure, biotechnology, advancements in robotics, and high tech materials - that will need consensus and more than simply what the market is willing to invest. Many claim that manufacturing in America is finished but we need to be making the high tech items that will bring us truly into this century. If we don't do it, then others will. We will wind up buying things from China, Japan, or Germany and will fall further behind. There will come a point where we will not be able to catch up.

China currently makes more solar panels in a month than America does in a year. Perhaps you think this is only because they are so much bigger, this is partly true, but moreso because they have recognized a need.

Either we can act like rational human beings or mulishly fail to do so. Given our behavior in the past decade, I think the latter is more likely and that will be not only to our detriment but to the decline of America as one of the greatest nations in history.

 

 

 

Matthew Rumph is a local writer, artist, and foodie. He is also a U.S. veteran and maintains the website www.raabidaardvark.com. Drop him a line at matthew@raabidaardvark.com