The ‘Congressman’ has no clothes

The modern politician speaks in empty platitudes and hollow slogans; fancy words that have no relevance to the daily life of Americans they represent.

But strip away the layers of the pompous ‘poli-speak,’ and you will find the congressman has no clothes; they speak in these abstract talking points that are regurgitated to them by handlers and consultants.

Politicians are politically correct ‘empty suits.’  There is no ‘humanity’ in political correctness, which is the mother of all this empty-talk.

Maybe this is why there is a visceral contempt for our elected officials. It’s no surprise that congress receives a 76% disapproval rate. The hallowed chamber has become a hollow chamber.     

American Novelist Walker Percy said “politics is disappointing. Most young people turn their backs on politics, not because of the lack of excitement of politics as it is practiced, but because of the shallowness, venality, and image-making as these are perceived through the media.”

Politicians have become larger than life celebrities. And it’s our fault; we have put them on pedestals. In the long run, idolization leads to cynicism and cynicism lead to callousness.

And this callousness is illustrated in our public discourse. We no longer can have a conversation among one another without it becoming heated and demagogic.

We don’t even have a common language as a starting point. Instead we converse with others who see it our way,. We live in these tribal echo chambers, rarely stepping out to break bread with our fellow Americans.

The politician only reflects a culture that has become tribal, empty and isolated.  The politician may have no clothes, but neither do we. And until we clothe ourselves in a genuine humanity, we will be cut off from community.  

In a hundred years, all this stuff won’t matter.  ‘All things fade,’ as they say.

I wonder what future generations will say of us. We will not be measured in our fancy and empty words, Instead we will be measured by how we treat those who we disagree with.

We are either enemies in isolation or Americans with diverse points of view in community.  Let us be clothed in a common human bond.