Americans have been hearing about inequality of one type or another since the inception of the United States as a nation in its own right. It's nothing new. However, it has gained popularity as a topic of discussion when debating political issues. In the 1960's and well into the 1970's, the fury was over the obvious fact that black Americans and women in general were not treated equally when it came to job procurement, wages, or having a voice in any field in which they had a vested interest, IE: anything.

Then in the second half of the 1970's, though immigration policies were tightened and more restrictive, there was an influx of Asian refugees arriving from their war torn homelands. It didn't take long for inequality of the individual interest groups to be lumped together and referred to simply as minorities. Through the years, the topic of inequality has targeted specific groups and causes, changing in importance dependent upon the agendas of the politicians and special interest groups.

Debating the topic of inequality is alive and well in 2011. But instead of placing attention on specific subcategories of inequality, our attention is being driven toward that of wealth and income inequality. As the economy continues to plummet (in spite of the untruths we are being fed), Americans are being whipped into a fury over the growing Great Divide between the “haves” and the “have nots”.

Who's doing the whipping? I like to refer to them as Political Hi-jackers. They are the ones who take a very real issue that concerns every American and turn it into a circus, used for gaining a following for their campaigns, the agenda of which is not even remotely connected to finding a solution to the issue they have hi-jacked. Suddenly, the issue is no longer a social issue, but a political one. It is now identified with the political factions involved, either in a negative light or a positive one, depending from which party perspective it is being viewed.

When the atmosphere of politics is so polluted with emotional finger pointing that it creates a diversion from basic American principles (those on which the country was founded) to that of party dominance, one must step back and take a look at the big picture. Consider what party dominance really means to those involved. Put frankly, it means control; control of the direction to be taken in governing the very people who put them in power. Control does not reside in peace beside teamwork. Effective leadership does.

In today's politically charged atmosphere, anyone with at least one functioning eye, can see how members of opposing parties have begun to view their opponents as the Devil's disciples. When one hears a Democrat make reference to the Republican Party, he can hear the venom dripping from his voice as he spits out the term “conservatives” as though the label is the worst form of condemnation known to mankind. The same is true for Republicans who refer to the Democratic Party with scathing remarks about liberalism.

On average, those who criticize Republicans do so because they view them as the henchmen of the wealthy elite. They are the guardians of greed, put into power by the ultra rich who wish to maintain their status at the expense of the poor. They are the takers. Speak to a Republican about the Democrat's practices, and they will spout off a spiel about how they're the bleeding hearts who will destroy this nation by catering to the lazy and unmotivated masses sucking the country dry through undeserved entitlement programs. They want to give it all away. They're the givers.

Opinions rooted in emotional perspectives such as these are irrational, immature, and a definite sign that perhaps neither party has what is necessary to move this country forward. Every married couple knows that any prolonged imbalance in giving and taking will result in divorce, destruction of the alliance. And before anyone chastises me about my inability to understand the “real” facts, just can it. Save it for someone who wants to hear it. I was a straight ticket Republican, raised in a Democrat based family, up until first Reagan, then Daddy Bush turned me. You Democrats can cease your smug satisfaction, too. There are just as many idiots in the Democratic Party as the Republican. I'm looking for a new party to form. Screw the Tea Party; too much preening before the media for barely concealed efforts designed strictly to grab headlines. No, I'd much rather see the emergence of the American Party, united in their efforts to turn this country around, regardless if the ideas come from the left or the right, so long as they are designed for doing what's correct and ethical.



