Jim Hlavac
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Domestic Affairs
Yes it would be wonderful if we all just got along, but we don't. And yes it would be
wonderful if the world was able to be more reasonable, but they aren't. So we are often
faced, usually in the letters to the editor and the op-ed pages, and certaininly from
marauding politicians, with a slew of platitudes that make perfect sense -- but are
divorced from the reality that we face.
Yes, we should instill democracy in Iraq -- but to take that culture, which for a
thousand years or more has been led by the divine right of kings and then just say well,
"we'll bring you democracy" -- that's a platitude. It sounds great -- but it has no
meaning.
There are hundreds of examples of platitudes being uttered by politicians and those
who want to put their two cents in, but these platitudes solve nothing. Yes, there should
be no hunger. Yes, we should be fairer in our treatment of minorities -- but what do
these phrases mean -- what are the real consequences of what will happen if we pass
the legislation supposedly meant to solve the problems? Often we get a vague and
mushy bunch of ideas that the government should somehow step in and take over the
situation to solve it for the good of the people.
We need to strengthen education. We need to reform taxes. We need to stop
crime. We need to prevent drug abuse. We need to create more jobs. We need to
repair our infrastructure. We need to ... Well whatever. There is an endless list of
platitudes; not one of which actually provides a plan and an action. It is easy for every
side of an argument to utter the platitude. Who could be against strengthening
education? But platitudes are secure ports in the storm of public policy that are used
by politicians to create blue ribbon panels to hide the reality that most of them don't
have a clue as to what to do. And more so, that most don't care, because they are in
power to stay in power, not actually solve the problems.
wonderful if the world was able to be more reasonable, but they aren't. So we are often
faced, usually in the letters to the editor and the op-ed pages, and certaininly from
marauding politicians, with a slew of platitudes that make perfect sense -- but are
divorced from the reality that we face.
Yes, we should instill democracy in Iraq -- but to take that culture, which for a
thousand years or more has been led by the divine right of kings and then just say well,
"we'll bring you democracy" -- that's a platitude. It sounds great -- but it has no
meaning.
There are hundreds of examples of platitudes being uttered by politicians and those
who want to put their two cents in, but these platitudes solve nothing. Yes, there should
be no hunger. Yes, we should be fairer in our treatment of minorities -- but what do
these phrases mean -- what are the real consequences of what will happen if we pass
the legislation supposedly meant to solve the problems? Often we get a vague and
mushy bunch of ideas that the government should somehow step in and take over the
situation to solve it for the good of the people.
We need to strengthen education. We need to reform taxes. We need to stop
crime. We need to prevent drug abuse. We need to create more jobs. We need to
repair our infrastructure. We need to ... Well whatever. There is an endless list of
platitudes; not one of which actually provides a plan and an action. It is easy for every
side of an argument to utter the platitude. Who could be against strengthening
education? But platitudes are secure ports in the storm of public policy that are used
by politicians to create blue ribbon panels to hide the reality that most of them don't
have a clue as to what to do. And more so, that most don't care, because they are in
power to stay in power, not actually solve the problems.
| Domestic Affairs |