Two Thoughts on Cynical Politics

I wanted to point out a Wall Street Journal article that caught my attention a couple days a ago. Karl Rove uses the example, in 2001 and 2002, of how despite Democrats and left-leaning politicians backed the Bush Administration's campaign to end Saddam possessing weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, decided to flee to a defensive position against the Bush Administration four to five years later. Making statements that, "the commander-in-chief intentionally lied America into war," is what Karl Rove feels "is the most serious accusation that can be leveled at a president...this accusation was false and opened the way for politicians in both parties to move the debate from differences over issues into ad hominem attacks."

What I don't understand is what such drastic measures some "career-politicians" will take to get re-elected and "appease" the American people. Such statements made primarily by Democrats have sent politics into a whirlwind of wishy-washy stances of important issues and has become a real problem.

Karl Rove goes on to say, "we in the Bush White House discussed responding (to false accusations by Democrats) but decided not to relitigate the past. That was wrong and my mistake...what Democrats started seven years ago left us less united as a nation..."

In relation to this specific example of how Karl Rove feels this was his biggest mistake in the White House, I would agree. During the Obama/McCain race for the Presidency, the Democrats continued to point out how McCain is just another "Bush, 3rd Term." I feel that this was detrimental to the Republican's image. John McCain and the Republicans for some reason did not create a response exposing these flaws and false accusations, nor did they distinguish the difference in how the McCain Administration is not another "Bush, 3rd Term."

Both political parties have disappointed me and politics have become very emotional and less objective. I'm tired of seeing "career politicians" ruin the foundation of the American Way. The Left-side needs to take a stance on a policy and be held accountable for their actions if they are wrong. The Right-side needs to take a stance on a policy and stand up against false accusations and hold liberals accountable for their wild actions over the past ten years. I feel the general population of Americans are finally starting to catch onto this cynicism.

-Karl Rove's Wall Street Journal article