When Politics Loses Its Ideas . . .

Here is an interesting article from Slate.com about post-modern or post-ideological politics. I think it sounds interesting, but I think that, as the author points out- the Democratic Primary shows that when politics loses its ideas it becomes abominable. When there are few policy choices between candidates, an election becomes personal and bitter.

A brief larger point to be made from this is that, this is what has made American politics so bitterly partisan and has turned people off from the process. Republicans and Democrats fight each other bitterly, but its more over the title that follows their name, rather than the ideas they hold.

An interesting exercise I have tried several times is to read about a piece of legislation and ignore who supports it or who is against it-- and make up your own mind. I know it sounds simple and it is because it is what most Americans actually do. Not in Washington and not in state capitols around this nation. Most often, the yeas and nays are lined up on the basis of who proposes the idea. In these hallowed halls, policy, ideas and direction are lost in a void of politics. The ideas that once separated Republicans and Democrats have been erased by the one common denominator--money.