Not News

I don’t know about you but I bet you are as tired as I am about trying to learn about the weather and news on specific topics but then get a barrage about the Kardashians, sports figures, celebrities of all stripes, and politicians. Not issues. Just people. Not even important people getting important work done for the rest of us, just style setters, behavior models and divorce/wedding/pregnancy/illegitimate births…you get the idea.

I find news about the Chicago Bears football team in the same league as the Kardashians. Why bother? I mean, really! The Bears simply cannot manage their way to a meaningful press conference let alone a game with talent and good results. Same with the Kardashians. Empty news. Empty value. A name for name’s sake and press ratings because someone cares? Why do they are? Are their lives really so empty?

Movie releases seem to be big with the public. What’s good enough to be shown in theaters, and what’s only good enough for quick release to TV networks? Just sell the product to Netflix and let the spoolers delight! I really don’t care who is starring in the latest release or that they made a good project decision to star in that film, or detoured their career temporarily to resume live stage acting to better prepare for future film projects.

I do care about how well public education is doing its job. What challenges are they facing and how inventive are the teachers in reaching kids of disparate backgrounds? Are we educating youth or lecturing them? Which approaches work? Which don’t?

Pension reform: why and when needed. If nothing done, what costs are created? When are they likely to appear? If we settle the matter soon, but payback do we earn? Why has this been so difficult to face and solve? What can society do for the long term to ensure this problem never arises again?

Campaign finance reform: what are the obstacles and why are they so tenacious? Even though the topic is a minefield, can’t we set aside our differences long enough to generate a fair system that is not selling public positions to the highest bidder among the wealthy and largest corporations? Really. This is embarrassing to the largest democracy in the world! This is shameful to our history. How can good people seriously ignore this problem and not fix it?

Issues ignored only get larger and more complex. So complex, in fact, they defy solution. Think immigration reform with 14 million immigrants caught in the spider web. Plus their families! Think campaign finance reform that is wedded to advertising, media partiality, vote-selling to financially strapped congressmen locked into a biennial election cycle that has no end? Same with governors, legislators, senators, even judges.

And pension reform? Truly? A life pledge of security for a life time of loyalty and work that goes down the drain because reasonable financial planning to ensure the pensions was considered inconvenient by the legislators?

Political parties bring what to the public’s benefit? Not much. Cohesion maybe but these days it is attention to imperfect ideology that does not serve well the public’s interest. Just special interest groups are served. And to the detriment of the public’s good in the long run. Maybe parties should be phased out for some other mechanism? We won’t know unless we ponder this question, do some research and discuss it well. And then make a decision on it. Why is this work not being done?

Maybe it is my age but I’m tired of important work not getting the time and attention it deserves. I think the public is ill-served by this lack of action. I know there are those among us who believe non-action is better than action ill conceived, but that goes only so far before the problems cascade into much larger disasters.

Serious problems deserve serious consideration and solution. The need for leadership will always be with us. But who will take the lead? Who will let them? How is this process governed?

Serious people want to know. Curious people, too! Is anyone listening? Is anyone caring? Is anyone there? Hello?

December 18, 2014