Learning More about Politics
The political landscape in America today is, for me, constantly more of a turn off. Most of the time, when I choose to pay it some attention, all I can see is adults bickering and behaving like children.
The problem is, the issues that cause the arguments are not childish issues. They are important and must be addressed. We cannot ignore legislation on immigration, government spending, education, health care, or foreign aid - just to name a few.
And this is my tension. Often, in an attempt to learn more about these issues or discover what a candidate actually does think I end up in a mire of words and slander. As much as I loathe the political atmosphere, there are times when I cannot stop looking at it.
It's like a bad car accident on the other side of the highway. The traffic in both direction slows down so everyone can look and see what is going on. It is a wreck involving human injuries, but we still gawk. As ugly as it may be we still want to know what's going on. So it is with politics, but with far better reasons.
We need to stay informed to know what issues are facing us, our country, and our world. I know many people who feel passionately about one thing or another, but often cannot articulate why they feel the way they do.
Recently, Relevant Magazine featured a great piece on where and how to learn more about politics. Keep in mind, the essential thing when it comes to learning about the issues at hand is to listen to everyone. Too often we isolate ourselves and only pay attention to one politician, one network, or one talking head.