What's Really Going On In Washington?

The downward spiral dips deeper.

Early morning, twisted Tweets from the leader of the free world.   Garbled, slurred questioning from a long-esteemed U.S. Senator.  Scurrilous, bias leaks, of privileged information, by a 'career' FBI director.

What's going on?  What's really going on, in Washington?

In a word:  a deficit of character.

There are many definitions of character.  But, in essence, character is inner, soulish activity, that elevates ethics over results, community over competitive 'wins.'

Sadly, today, results and competitive 'wins,' reign.  Thus, 'anything goes,'  as lying -- manipulation -- gamesmanship --  backbiting -- grudge-matches -- and other expressions of woeful, pitiful character, metastasize on a daily basis.

'Egging on' such deadly stuff is pride.  As David Brooks has observed:

"Pride is the central vice...Pride makes us more certain and close-minded than we should be.  Pride makes it hard for us to be vulnerable...Pride makes coldheartedness and cruelty possible.  Because of pride we try to prove we are better than those around us.  Pride deludes us into thinking that we are the authors of our own lives."   (David Brooks.  The Road To Character.  New York:  Random House, 2015, p. 263). 

Thus, 'full of self,' and self-righteousness -- we scramble to 'best' each other -- rather than compromising with others, for the common good.

Rediscovering the common good is vital.   As Simon Lee has noted:

The notion of the common good has been a consistent theme in Western political philosophy, most notably in the work of Aristotle, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It has been most clearly developed in the political theory of republicanism, which has contended that the common good is something that can only be achieved through political means and the collective action of citizens participating in their own self-government..." Simon Lee, "Common Good," Philosophy.  Encycolpidia Brittaniac.  https://www.britannica.com/topic/common-good

And so Jim Wallis has surmised:  

"...It is our fundamental political inclination: don’t go right, don’t go left; go deeper. But we’ve lost touch with that moral compass in Washington D.C., where it has been replaced by...ideology and money."  But Wallis goes on to postulate:  "...A commitment to the common good could bring us together and solve the deepest problems this country and the world now face: How do we work together? How do we treat each other, especially the poorest and most vulnerable? How do we take care of not just ourselves but also one another?...(emphasis added)"  Jim Wallis, "Whatever Happened To The Common Good?"  Time.  April 4, 2013. http://ideas.time.com/2013/04/04/whatever-happened-to-the-common-good/

 Yes:  how do we take care of one another, and not just self?  A few suggestions.

1.) Stop Snarky Comments Toward Your Opponents.  Translated:  stop the 'Trump Jabs' -- and -- the Hillary Scarcasm -- and any other snide remark toward any other opponent.  Though hard to 'stomach,' every social/thought leader has something to contribute to the common good, no matter the person or party. 

2) Call Your Representative or Senator And Ask Them To Place a New Emphasis On The Common Good.  Tell them you are 'sick and tired' of the bickering and 'back-biting' in Washington. Ask them to take new strides toward working with opponents, rather than  competing with, and 'besting' opponents.    

3) Rediscover A Sense of Community and Neighborliness. We live in one of the most 'siloing,' narcissitic periods in human history, in which 'the selfie' has literally become a way of life.  And so a challenge: think of ways to multiply more 'group shots' and less 'self-shots.' For starters: introduce yourself to your neighbors.  Neighborliness used to be a common, expected practice.  But as one D.C. reporter observed, the front porches of most homes, in most neighborhoods, are now empty. https://www.amazon.com/Downshifting-Reinventing-Sucess-Slower-Track/dp/0060921587  But not just D.C homes, but homes in most neighborhoods.  Bottom line:  we will never advance the common good, if don't recover a renewed sense of community and togetherness with those around us, beginning with those in our immediate environs.   

4) Overall: Obey The Ultimate 'Executive Order' (Matthew 25:31ff).  In recent months, there have been several Executive Orders from the White House, limiting and excluding persons, including those desiring to immigrate to the U.S.  The immigration issue is worthy of a separate blog post, but with that said -- overall -- the bias of scripture is toward a wide embrace of all people -- the inclusion of all others -- especially the least, lost and lonely.  Amy Butler identifies Matthew 25:31ff as the exemploary expression of that inclusion, and thus, the ultimate 'Executive Order.'  In a memorable sermon, by that same name, Amy declared: 

"In the Kingdom of God, we nurture and need each other. In the Kingdom of God, we never deny healing or hope or justice or dignity to one another.  In the Kingdom of God, we open our hearts and our hands, we make extra room at the table, we let the boat dock and the traveler clear customs and the children find safety…because no matter our differences, when we look at another human being we can recognize in each other the very face of God. "  Amy Butler, Executive Order, Sermon.  The Riverside Church, January 29, 2017. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/talkwiththepreacher/2017/01/29/executive-order/

Yes.  When we look at another human being we are called to recognize the very face of God.  Not the face of a competitor.  Not the face of someone to be ''bested.  Not the face of a person who is 'less than' and not worthy.  No. When we look at another human being we are  called to recognize the face of God.  That is the ultimate Executive Order (Matthew 25:31ff).  And as we obey it, we contribute greatly to the common good.  

And so the question is not:  what's really going on in Washington?  The question is: what's really going on with us?   Are we seeing the face of God in each other?  Are we neighborly and in touch with our community?  Are we alerting our elected representatives to our preference for cooperation and not competition?  Are we 'dialing back' snarky, snide comments?  

Please don't misunderstand:  this really is a terrible time for our country; the degree of downward division and vicious in-fighting appears relentless and unprecedented.    

Yet, when we 'point the finger' -- four fingers point back at us.  That's not a reason to ignore the atrocities of our politicians.  But it does remind us that we can be atrocious too. But also newly committed to  'the common good,'  modeling the very character and virtue -- in our own lives -- that we pray, returns to Washington, D.C. -- very soon!