Why Americans Hate Politics
In Why Americans Hate Politics, E.J. Dionne examines the reasons behind the low status of American politicians and the American disenchantment with politics in general, coming to the conclusion that we dislike politics because it is no longer relevant to our daily lives.
Dionne perceives both the Republican and the Democratic Party as caught up in a battle over cultural issues left over from the 1960s, especially race relations and feminism. Such issues are still relevant to today's society, but the majority of Americans seem to have come to a general agreement about them, that racism is bad and women are equal to men, while politicians remain entrenched in their 1960s philosophies, not even troubling to adjust such philosophies to the climate of the 1990s.
Dionne suggests finding common ground. Strict ideological persistence makes it seem as though there were really only two solutions, one at each end of the spectrum. Instead, politicians from both parties could work together to find creative solutions with which both sides could live. The earned income tax credit for the working poor is a prime example because it satisfies the liberal goal of helping the needy and the conservative ethic of hard work. Another example would be stricter child support enforcement, …show more content…
While Americans differ sharply on the morality of abortion, a large majority believe too many are performed. By limiting the situations in which abortions can be performed, and more importantly, by addressing the societal problems that lead to unwanted pregnancies, Dionne believes the abortion stalemate can be broken. Dionne hits the mark when he emphasizes realizing the complexity and underlying causes of abortion as a way of addressing it. If steps are not taken to alter these conditions, abortions will continue whether they are legal or
In Why Americans Hate Politics, E.J. Dionne examines the reasons behind the low status of American politicians and the American disenchantment with politics in general, coming to the conclusion that we dislike politics because it is no longer relevant to our daily lives.
Dionne perceives both the Republican and the Democratic Party as caught up in a battle over cultural issues left over from the 1960s, especially race relations and feminism. Such issues are still relevant to today's society, but the majority of Americans seem to have come to a general agreement about them, that racism is bad and women are equal to men, while politicians remain entrenched in their 1960s philosophies, not even troubling to adjust such philosophies to the climate of the 1990s.
Dionne suggests finding common ground. Strict ideological persistence makes it seem as though there were really only two solutions, one at each end of the spectrum. Instead, politicians from both parties could work together to find creative solutions with which both sides could live. The earned income tax credit for the working poor is a prime example because it satisfies the liberal goal of helping the needy and the conservative ethic of hard work. Another example would be stricter child support enforcement, …show more content…
While Americans differ sharply on the morality of abortion, a large majority believe too many are performed. By limiting the situations in which abortions can be performed, and more importantly, by addressing the societal problems that lead to unwanted pregnancies, Dionne believes the abortion stalemate can be broken. Dionne hits the mark when he emphasizes realizing the complexity and underlying causes of abortion as a way of addressing it. If steps are not taken to alter these conditions, abortions will continue whether they are legal or