Nothing is more frustrating than when your five-year-old continues to ask “why” in response to your accepted beliefs.
At the core of a well-written report are answers to five questions, all beginning with the letter “w”… who, what, where, when and why. Some add the query of “how” to the list. Four responses – who, what, where, when – are objective and confined to specific parameters. However, why something occurred is more elusive.
Understanding the cause and motivation of an event can be confounding, especially when human behavior is involved. Is it a coherent thought process that can be understood and addressed or an emotional outburst without a rational basis?
Aberrant or bad behavior can be categorized and addressed but the motivation behind it is often a complex tangle of factors. It may be transitory, the result of pent-up frustration, or a chronic and continuous pattern. Observing poor self-control, resulting in crude and rude behavior is disconcerting, especially when it is self-defeating.
The national political and judicial arena has degenerated into a death spiral of clownish behavior, resulting in public disfavor and lack of trust.
While national politics may be beyond local control, the strength of our system relies on a solid foundation of local government. It is through this base that we, the people, can exert influence on the actions of representatives at regional and national levels. For those disenchanted by antics by politicians, the best recourse is to become active at the local level and encourage participation.
The answer to this “why” is that a responsive and fair political climate begins at home.
The why of national politicians often can be traced to local politics. Their election and re-election can be a partial answer.