Emotional politics: The Orange and the anti-Obama type.

(By guest writer.)

Emotional politics:

The Orange and the Anti-Obama type.

Politics ruled by emotions is biased, as it lacks an open mind that can objectively evaluate more than one side on any issue. People who are unable to control their emotions are an easy prey to be exploited by any political force. Be it national or foreign. Not excluding those foreign forces represented by political NGOs. Politics without reason creates people who are hateful, panicky and vicious.

In general, people who are followers of politics of hate, do not think for themselves. Rather, they are told what to think, what to say, and how to act. They trust their ears better than their eyes and their minds. It is easier. No effort. Let somebody else do the thinking for you.

The Orange Revolution in Ukraine, which brought a pro-western government to power in 2005, thanks to largely an euphoric public organized and funded by well oiled western NGOs, has led the citizens to be disillusioned and hopeless of their future. Today, that very popular leader of the orange revolution, president Yushchenko has an approval rate of 3.5%.

What the orange revolution has to show for the euphoria of 2004 and massive western support is, factory closings, massive job cuts, the reduction of GDP by thirty percent, the resignation of at least four cabinet ministers, corruption, serious political in-fighting, and on the way of a total economic collapse in spite of a $16.5 billion dollars of IMF bailout.

In a recent interview president Yushchenko gave to Der Spiegel, when asked about “rumors of mafia-style groups in parliament” he replied by saying, “We have a number of convicted criminals there; they could form their own parliamentary group. The failed constitutional reform has meant that we have representatives in parliament who are only interested in acquiring certain companies and controlling private financial interests.”

I doubt, even if Prime Minister Tymoshenko, the so-called “goddess of the revolution”, with the peasant-braid as tiara hairstyle is going to have a solution to the disaster wrought on Ukraine, by the euphoric orange revolution and its handlers. The political NGOs that primarily focus on, and are actively engaged in influencing policy outcomes by putting pressure on policy makers.

While emotion is based on subjectivity, reason is based on objectivity. In a Democracy, people have the right to disagree.  They also have the right to have religious, political, and philosophical disagreements. But, when certain opposition forces believe that those who do not think as they do are evil, and must be destroyed, it raises the issue of dealing with an irrational force that doesn’t understand in a dialogue and an open debate.

How else can one explain, the rally in Washington, D.C. against president Obama? During the rally in Freedom Plaza, the demonstrators carried signs that read, “ Liar In Chief”, “ Parasite In Chief”, “save freedom , stop Obama”, “Don’t blame me ,I voted for the American”, etc.  Is this not a clear example of politics of hate? Politics of irrational folks? As the great Kahlil Gibran wrote in his poem “Reason and Passion”, “Passion unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction”.

Amu-AbuMahla

Amuabu_mahla@yahoo.com

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Obama’s counter attack.

Obama’s counter attack.

“If you misrepresent what is in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.”  President Obama.

Firmness, and total resolve, the president should have shown months ago, was unveiled during his speech on health-care reform to a joint session of congress. It was a speech given in a calm and calculating manner. It totally debunked such utter stupidity like the “death panels” which was only meant to derail real and pertinent discussion on the issue. The purpose of the opponents of health-care reform is to keep the status quo. Obstruction is the chosen tactic.

The speech also exposed the shallowness, and rudeness of the rightists in the U.S. Congress. It was a compelling direct assault on the gun-totting, factually challenged few, who had monopolized the health-care debate throughout the summer. It was also a speech that aimed to unite and strengthen his party and a call to action. On both fronts, I think, the president has succeeded.

While it is admirable that the President wants to include the right, left and center in garnering support for the health care reform plan, I am sure the president understands that partisanship was here, is, and will be. Therefore, with Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, continuous begging of the obstructionists won’t be compulsory.

It was sad to watch gloomy faced republicans acting uncivil, below the standards of the required decorum. Few, were even seen fiddling with a Black Berry. How rude. Acting like a middle school student. Playing with a cell phone, instead of paying attention to the teacher.

It is quiet impossible to create such a complete sight of breathtaking unhappiness and pain. The Republicans looked suffering from a migraine and an upset stomach all at the same time during Obama’s speech. As to the rudest of them all, Rep. Joe Wilson (R.S.C.), who shouted “you lie”, deserves no excuse. He is the embodiment of a low-cultured individual who is not fit to be in the position he is in. I wonder how he made it up there.

Finally, if I may be allowed an irresistible urge to state the obvious, anyone, unwilling to come to the aid of the less fortunate in society is immoral. It is shameful, for the richest country on earth, unwilling to protect the millions of Americans without health coverage.

Professor Mekonen Haddis

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