A House Divided

President Lincoln, in the run up to the Civil? War, pointed out that a nation could not remain strong if it were half slave and half free. That bloody war settled the question of slavery but not the question of rascism, nor the question of a "house divided."

We live in a nation divided. We arae divided over health concerns, over immigration, over sexuality, over wars and over politics. Normally you might say the debate that is occuring is the sign of a healthy democracy. I think it has gone beyond that. For a true debate to occur there must be a civility between the debaters; rules of conversation must be followed and a reasonable end or at least an agreement to disagree must be in place. In the debate arena for any of the above questions we have long passed the point of civil discourse.

The conversation taking place on C Span is filled with half truths and political posturing. Emails are flooded with outright lies and well orchestrated smear campaigns. For at least the past ten years this nation has engaged in attempted political suicide as any one in a position of leadership is tarred and feathered through the media of radio, TV and the internet. It truly needs to stop. We are becoming an armed and dangerous mob.

When I last looked, each member of congress and each member of the current administration took an oath to up hold the constitution, to follow the law of the land and to lead as best as his or her constituents would permit. So how does it happen that bills which haven't been studied are either passed or opposed? How does it happen that extraneous amendments having no purpose for the legislation are tacked onto bills and hidden as they pass through congress?

Sadly, from my perspective, the issue is unmitigated greed. Those that have want more and those who haven't want some. In the meantime, congress squabbles and the administration fails to paint a vision the nation will follow.

We are a divided house. The question then becomes "How long can we stand?" I think it is time:

1. For people of faith to pray for their government
2. For voters to study the issues and make their voice heard.
3. For politicians to vote their conscience and not their party.
4. For debates to be strong, open and without backdoor deals.
5. For the media to separate commentary from news.

During WWII there was a rallying cry, "Let's remember Pearl Harbor" could our new cry be "Let's remember the UNITED States."