It is embarrassing.
Especially this year.
In America.
Don’t tell Michelle Obama.
Who said last Monday.
“You know I hate politics.”
As she addressed the Democratic National Convention.
Michelle has good company. My partner Rebecca hates politics. Probably you do as well, at least if you are in America, in 2020.
I agree. There is so much ugliness in American politics today: the way our politicians treat their opponents; how everything, even the wearing of masks, is politicized; why so many problems go unsolved because America’s political institutions don’t seem up to the task.
I would often tell my students that looking closely at a society’s politics is like walking through a sausage factory seeing, really seeing, how sausage is made. If we did this before we ate sausage, most of us would not eat sausage. Sausage would have the popularity of the America’s Congress or its politics.
I love sausage despite having toured a sausage factory. ‘Are you kidding, that’s what goes into that succulent, grilled, tangy wonder splashed with mustard that sits perfectly between two fresh, soft bun slices.’ Yuk & wonder of wonders!
By now, you’ve guessed my little secret. I love American politics despite the ugliness of seeing it up close. I hold both the ‘yuk factor’ and the ‘wonder’ in my head, heart, and gut at the same time.
It’s easy to conjure up an image of a sausage. What about politics? To me, an image of a crowd of people protesting is my ‘sausage’ image of politics. Why?
Politics as it has evolved through human history – especially politics as it practiced in modern democracies – is this wondrous human creation that enables large groups of people to work out their differences peacefully. Below is a Tea Party rally on the left and a Black Lives Matter protest on the right. I support one and you might support the other or neither or both.
Seeing the images together is the wonder of politics. Politics is necessary because We, as in “we the people”, are naturally divided. Our divisions come from our freedoms, to think, believe, and want different things. From these freedoms come the formation of different interests. How do we work out our different interests peacefully? Politics gives us the rules, institutions, and leaders to enable a nation of 330 million to live in relative harmony, despite our differences.
That is an amazing accomplishment. More so as America has grown not just in numbers but, gloriously, in the number among us that we consider fully a part of the WE, in WE THE PEOPLE.
That’s the sausage to me, when I think about American politics. The expansive WE, which makes politics more divisive than ever, is at the same time its great beauty.
Of course Michelle Obama hates politics. How could she not? At the same time, she is fully included in the American politics of today, as much as me or you.
Somehow America’s imperfect politics made that possible. As it grinds along, it will make other ‘impossibilities’ possible as well.
That’s what I love.
Reader Comments
It is a burnt sausage. Nobody wants burnt sausage. America desperetly needs a new and fresh sausage to grill.
Leads me to wonder if Americans will ever realize the failure of the two party political system. It seems the rest of the world sees it.
Hi Jack,
Thanks for the comment. Perhaps burnt is the best way to look at America. I’m not so sure. I think the possibility of change in the direction I and probably you want requires seeing both the beauty and tragedy of America, especially regarding race. Without the beauty, the possibility, hope is impossible. Without the tragedy, hope is not necessary. I struggle over this and seek many points of view, certainly yours is one I value. And multiparty is the way to go. Take care. Paul
This is an excellent simile! Very helpful! The only problem is, that protests aren’t so peaceful. Along with slavery, we have had guns from the beginning, and solving the one will include solving the other.
Hello Ruth,
Thank you for your comment. Most of the Tea Party protests around the country in 2009 onwards were peaceful as is the case with Black Lives Matter protests since 2014, well within the norm of democratic practices. Violence (with and without guns) is a means used by extremists who might share the goals of each protest movement but not the means. All the guns and even more important the long history of violence in America makes managing the problem of racism and racists more difficult, as you suggest. I believe violence is always anti-politics (anti-democratic) even though it may be understandable. Violence is counterproductive except for those who want chaos or who have given up on the possibility of change.
In your picture of anti-violence and anti-politics how does that apply to our violent warring policies abroad, regime change philosophy as a nation? I would say that is anti-democratic and that the US is perhaps the biggest instigator of violence in the world. Why would you think that it would not or should not come home eventually?
Hello Jack,
USA as biggest instigator of violence in the world. I would respectfully disagree while accepting that a lot of violence in the world is connected to USA, some a result of bad strategic decisions, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and others the result of USA as a world power. There is a lot of violence in the world that exists independent of what USA has done or if connected the responsibility of other actors in the world. There was enough violence in the USA in the 18th and 19th centuries before USA became a world power so violence is part of America’s history.
I admit that my anti-violence and anti-politics point too easily elided the question of state violence. That requires a longer answer but you are right to call me on it. Every time I taught Terrorism and Democracy we spent a lot of time on state sponsored terrorism, both domestic and international. Enough for now and as usual you are a good interlocutor. Paul
Just out of curiosity I have been reading Tucker Carlsons book Ship of Fools. It was a NYT best seller and Tucker has said a few things that grabbed my attention. He for sure picks on liberals far more than republicans but they get their pair share of criticism as well. The 3 chapter on ‘ War, was an interesting outline outlining party positions on the topic after WWII. It is to be a guarded read but worth the time. However, I am not finished with it yet.
It matters not to me so much of what other countries do. After all we have the military complex on the planet, meaning no one will attack us. Yet its our actions abroad that really tell the rest of the world what we are about. That is not spreading peace and love. More accurately it is implementing American style Capitalism even though we all know how that has failed the vast number of Americans. When we start evaluating American exceptionalism and the philosophy behind it, well we see the cavernous cracks just below the surface. You may think we are the worlds peace keeper and that is what our military is for but in reality it is to support the oligarchs vision of how the world should be run. Funny you don’t hear much talk of The New World Order anymore, or at least I don’t. I am hoping it is dead in its tracks but realizing how ruthless international business can be my guess is they are still looking to the future in secret. The tumbling block to that are the bad children on the black who don’t agree. Mainly, China, Russia, Iran and a lot of other smaller countries who don’t see themselves a getting a seat at the new world orders table. Now we see the buildup of military bases surrounding them to the tune of over 800? American will not go unscathed if WWIII happens. We strap sanctions on other countries designed too cripple their economies and maximize pressure on their populations. The USA is not alone in this but it is a very dangerous game for the world populations. I love the USA but it is headed down the wrong path and in a big way. Truth is both republicans and democrats support this effort equally. Coming out of academia as we have, our lives have been very good within the American system as it is. That is why it will be very hard to change its direction.
Hi Jack,
As I read your comments I am reminded of James Baldwin (I have been reading a lot of Baldwin, he wrote yesterday, for today) and how he distinguished between the kind of critical love of America he had with the devotional love William Buckley jr had. You have a critical love of America, an ironic love that holds America to its highest ideas. That is a very valuable love and much more compelling than the Buckley love that is like the love a child has for its parents, a love innocent of their flaws. From your perspective, I see how you view the two parties as equally culpable. I don’t quite see it that way but I will leave that conversation for another day. Take care and be safe. Paul