Easily Distracted

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how easily distracted we become. “Everyone” is concerned about health care and 2/3 of all Americans want health care reform, including some sort of universal health care, but our congress takes months and months to act. We become frustrated by the slow, messy process of legislating the mess (which some have likened to making sausage) and get distracted but other things – often very silly things. So we end up with a watered down version of what we really want that never does anything; and the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and we’re all unhappy.

The biggest problem is that most of the time we cannot focus on more than one thing at once, and let’s face it, the problems have been pretty big over the past year. We tend to look for any excuse to escape, so we are distracted by really stupid stuff. The 24/7 nature of news nowadays only makes the problem worse. News organizations have to constantly “feed the beast” – fill air time or post new items to their Web sites.
Having worked in television, I can attest it isn’t some basic conspiracy. But we are like sheep, easily led astray – staring at the guy waving a sign that says “look over here.” Usually it has to do with celebrity gossip, sports, or – most likely – being much more concerned with our own problems than with the “big picture” problems. I’m not sure how to solve this, but here are three simple things that might help.

1. Get informed, diverse news and opinion. Having more ways to get our news is a very positive thing – I firmly believe that. Looking for information from multiple sources is also a good way to keep from simply confirming any bias you already have. It helps to get alternate perspectives and to question what you hear or read.
2. Accept that there is usually a legitimate, alternate viewpoint. Anyone who has ever been involved in a news story will tell you that the news entity got the story wrong. This is because bias and perspective play a huge part in how we understand anything. If news reporting were just about reporting “facts” we would never have any news.
3. Expect and demand accountability from news media. Write to news editors and journalists and ask them to focus on the things that really matter. Tell them what you think – but do it in a respectful, constructive manner – and make sure you sign your correspondence, including contact information. Nowadays, the majority of so-called feedback that news media get is anonymous, nasty in tone and completely discounted. Signing correspondence insures that you’ll be taken seriously and that you will be respectful to the recipient.

I guess it goes back to what my teachers always said about politics in general: if you don’t like what’s happening, get involved, get in the game, and stop standing by the sidelines.

On Polite Discourse

Last night's third and final debate didn't seem to be the game-changer McCain and the GOP were hoping for, even though it was probably his best performance and Obama's worst. Unfortunately for McCain, it solidified the "angry old man" image that he's aquired over the last few weeks. Sure, he was always an older American, but there's a big difference between being older and being old. My grandfather, God bless him, was a funny, warm older American until the day he died - just days away from his 97th birthday. He was never an old man. John McCain has become the stereotype of the pants-above-the-navel, nasty, screaming geezer waving at the young whippersnappers to "get the hell off my lawn." His kitchen sink approach to last night's debate just added to that impression.

No one really cares about Bill Ayers. Obama was eight years old when the Weather Underground was in its heyday. If we were all condemned for the people we served on boards with, people we sat in church with, people we have simply known throughout our lives there wouldn't be ANYONE qualified to be President of the United States.

No one cares about ACORN. They're trying to get people to register to vote. Sure, there will always be idiots who register as "Mickey Mouse" or "Jack Bauer" but do those idiots try and vote as "Mickey Mouse" or "Jack Bauer"? There is zero evidence that they do. I'd like to point out to all the folks who are coming unglued by the fake voter registrations: It isn't a crime to fill out a fake voter registration; it's only a crime if you vote under a fake name.

These arguments aren't working because people are far more worried about the economy. Barack Obama has proven to be the calm voice of reason during these turbulent times. Every time they say he's lightweight, try to associate him with terrorists, try to paint him as inexperienced - it all backfires because his own demeanor belies these attacks. He is thoughful, educated, intelligent and likeable; he seeks the counsel of many smart people from varied backgrounds; he listens. These are qualities that Americans are craving because they have been so sorely lacking in our executive branch over these last eight years.

Americans want a change - not just from ideology, but from temperament, too. Frat boy leadership failed; now it's time to try to let the geeks rule.