Are you not entertained?

Nearly any good thing can be made into a tool.

Companies and governments excel at making malevolent tools of people and things--even good ones.

In the United States, we have elections every four years for the Executive Branch of government. What a great blessing and system! It proved initially that power could be handed peacefully and consistently between free groups with different ideas about how to run a nation.

It still does that. Our democracy is, in many ways, a model for democracy around the globe.

However, it is also a model for vitriol and polarization and alienation. Our politicians have had dirty squabbles since the beginning--politics has never been a nice, kind process even in the United States (election of 1800).

Those bitter practices continue from 1800 to the present day. I don't see that changing. It's not even a terribly bad thing (even if things can get rather nasty).

My point though, is that because of these practices, we need to recognize that they can be used by outside forces, with identities that are not immediate apparent (or possibly well concealed).

Every four years, organizations, individuals, lobbies and others pump money into a media circus lead by individuals of varying decorum. Those individuals espouse a variety of positions, many of which are co-opted by party members (Democrats & Republicans; liberals & conservatives for the most part). Both of the two sides have good ideas as to the running of an efficient and effective government.

With that, a suggestion:

consider the positions you hold, in light of their counterparts or opposites.

1. Why do you hold that position?
2. Is it in line with the many other positions you hold, and the other creeds you profess?
3. Are you internally consistent as a person?
4. Do you want to be internally consistent?
    a. Why?
    b. Why not?
    c. What does that mean to me?
5. Where did you hear the information that lead you to your position?
6. Can you trust it?
    a. Why?
    b. Why not?
7. Who might have a stake in your current position?
    a. Might they abuse it?
    b. Might they have a nefarious reason?

Consider, reconsider.

Do you come to the same conclusion? Good, now you know why.
Do you come to a different conclusion? Good, now you know why.

Consider why you changed your mind...are you satisfied with why?

Oyyyy...keep on going, ad nauseam. I hope I don't grow tired of it though, and that you don't either.