A philosphical attempt at improving our lot

Americans, whether Democrat, Republican or other, seek the same goals. No one likes stress, discrimination or crime. We all want to improve our economy and ensure our defense. It's amazing a criminal said it best, "Can't we all just get along?" As we hope for these ideals year in and out, we seem to get further away from them. We just don’t seem to advance much; what we seek we left behind years ago.

There was a one year time stamp, in each of our lives, when there was no wrong and we lived ideally. These 365 days now belong to the ages. Most of us cannot remember being three years old, although our parents can tell stories and show pictures. So, observe, when you get a chance, those who are three. You will see an accurate portrayal of what it is we seek as adults.

At three years old the world and all in it is right. There is no peer pressure. It does not matter that your feet lack the essential Nike's. You are not laughed at if you are have to ride the bus, have braces, glasses or are fat. Other three year olds play with you regardless if you are black, purple, brown or Martian. There is no finger pointing. No one cares if you rent or own; if you have a Caddy or a Kia.

At three years old you are oblivious to the constant bombardment by the American media on cholesterol, global warming, low approval ratings, car-jackings, corruption, homicides, plane crashes, incompetent politicians, teenage pregnancies, or a down stock market. You don’t care whether Lindsay or Brittney has divorced, checked themselves into a clinic, or became lesbians.

In this live quick, die quick society, anyone over three has become overly stressed. Is it the media's fault? Well, they only expose what happens outside our windows. But, at three all you could see through the glass was fun and wonder. As you got older, wonder was replaced slowly with reality. At a certain stage in aging, somehow, physical and material appearances begin to be used as criteria for determining how important you are in the pecking order and eventual ostracism. If, as a youngster, you are sentenced to the outside to look in, the reality of an unfair and cruel world set in early.

It is a tough and unforgiving place out there. Naturally, we all want it better and we feel like we fight for the ideals of when we were three. As things get worse and time trudges along, it is apparent that Americans become more exasperated and focus on the dangers around us. Our economy is in a crisis and we want change, fight crime, give me healthcare or give me death.

Is it inherent in human nature to find the easiest solution? We do seem to be like water, always seeking out the path with least resistance. Problems are not being resolved, vote them out! Like the oft seen showdowns of the devil vs. angel on cartoon characters' shoulders, life tempts us to go in appealing, easy but usually misguided directions. Underneath, is that desire which plagues Americans on the whole. Do we want the seemingly easy way or the tough path? We have made avoidance and blame habitual hobbies.

The source of greatest frustration is knowing that all Americans agree on what is a problem. But, we do not circle the wagons and win any of these battles because so many of them are internal. As a people we find it easier to fight the symptoms than the causes. We’ll yell and scream at each other while the house burns. Cancer patients choose to go through excruciating radiation treatments because they know awaiting them, after the pain, is health. If America were that patient, it would be taking pain killers for the cancer and avoiding the chemotherapy.

We used the power of the vote to kick Democrats out of town and replaced those seats with Republicans. Now, it looks as if we are going to boot out the Republicans and replace them with Democrats. The ferris wheel goes round and round.

Democrats and Republicans have different ideas on how to solve America's problems yet sometimes they don’t even agree on what is a problem. The economy; we all know we are in a crisis. If Obama wins and somehow, magically, he parts the waters and rights the economy, he’ll bask in the glory. If he can’t, then he’ll shrug and say, “What did you expect with the mess that was left to me?” Fingers point everywhere but at the self.

We were three once and all was right with the world. Today, we are not inside looking out in wonder. You and I live in a harsh world where the road to solving problems does not lie in Democrat vs. Republican, but within each one of us to get us back to when we were three.