Sunday, February 05, 2006

Bohemian Revolution

There really has to be a bohemian revolution. Perhaps a third major political party composed primarily of young people from the creative class or anyone capable of dissent--those concerned for the future of our country who are unafraid of a fight. We'd start by talking about it at the coffee shop and the social club and we'd talk about the impending doom of social security and the apocolypse that will ensue with the upcoming mass exodus of baby boomers from the jobs they've been holding, causing young able-bodied, able-minded job seekers to find themselves floundering, which causes those older job holders to look upon us with a sense of entitlement and say that we're slackers or whatever it is they say.
This political party should be called something resembling what it is: the party of the people is my vote. My friend Luke said, "Don't you think that sounds communist?" Hum. Maybe? No, it's not a "communist" organization but it should have social justice issues at it's core. It's not even radical in my opinion. Most things we want are already in place to some degree. For example, we (in the party) could all agree on universal health care being necessary and then reveal the present system for what it is: a failing model of universal health care. I mean, for the uninsured, what do they do? If they are poor enough (and if they are sick enough, they will soon be poor enough) they may qualify for medicaid. Lots of musicians I know qualify and have some coverage through medicaid. This is a social service. I presume the doctor and hospital bills that go unpaid are absorbed, causing hikes in costs for the contributing members of today's system, which in turn causes insurance and self-paid trips to the doctor too expensive. This a simplified version, mainly for the purposes of the conversation, but also, how difficult does it have to be? It seems so common sense and elementary to me. So the health care system we have now, I'm saying, is already forced to account for the poor no matter what. Eventually everybody needs some health care no matter who they are or what their financial situation is. So why not treat our basic needs? That's the job of everyone--to create a country wherein we take care of our basic needs. This is in our best intrest as a country, even for economic reasons. Take care of everyone and it makes us more economically competitive. If you compare our country to a restaurant, it wouldn't take long to see that an efficient country would take care of it's own, no matter how poor, just like an efficient restaurant would take care of it's, I don't know, dishwashing staff. Without the dishwasher, the restaurant would fall apart. Those of us who have spent a lot of time working in a restaurant know the heirarchy is dishwasher, cooks, kitchen manager for the kitchen and then host, waiter, floor manager in the front of the house. Without the dishwasher, everything, all the way up and in both the kitchen and the front of the house, would fall apart.
Okay, this is the first example of an issue the party could take up as part of the platform we'd run on. And we'd aim to put together enough of a membership to actually run for office. Our human and common sense issues would connect to lots of people and we wouldn't have to affiliate ourselves with a side or religion or corporation because it's a new invention. In a debate, some crabby old man would call us a liberal or maybe even communist organization, but we won't accept any shit talking because WE label ourselves, WE define our movement, and WE choose our pursuits. We'll point this out. It'll be pitiful to see an old man who is losing his grip on power attempt to defend his platform by insulting the other. It's not reasonable but it'll be his desperation compelling him to do it.
I'm going to keep thinking and talking about this.

3 comments:

Matt Gerring said...

I knew there was somebody else out there who was thinking this same thing.

Check out my last post and get in touch.

Matt Gerring said...

Not the last post- the one with the title "this is not a political staement".

Anonymous said...

I't is nice to see that there are other people out there who feel the same as I do. Too many people I know have conformed and lost the insentive to voice their own opinions. Your words were refreshing.