Perspectives: The folly of putting our faith in political saviors

Composite includes images from Pixabay, St. George News

OPINION — The past week has provided an enlightening peek into the deteriorating psyche of the American body politic.

It started with the melodramatic partisan reactions to a canned speech made annually by the president to Congress. The yearly State of the Union address has become an exercise in exaggerated, predictable political theater.

All of the pomp and supposed power of the political class is on display with various government officials preening like peacocks and vying for seating that will afford them the highest visibility.

The script is the same regardless which party currently occupies the White House.

The president’s speech is typically written in bumper sticker slogans and the politicians of his party jump to their feet and applaud with a fervor that would have impressed Stalin’s strictest commissars. The counterpoint to this feigned enthusiasm generally consists of members of the opposition party sitting in dour silence, making angry faces to signal their disapproval.

Occasionally, certain guests are invited to make a cameo appearance so they may have the privilege of serving as political props who represent a particular policy that’s being highlighted. Credit is taken for anything positive that may have happened over the past year and political blame is assigned for whatever didn’t go right.

For all of this effort, nothing substantive is either said or done at the end of the evening. Even the token “response” from the opposition is canned and consists of partisan generalities.

Advocacy for the principles and practices of liberty is noticeably absent from the proceeding.

Pundits spend the next few days dissecting the speech, the reactions and the various public polls which inevitably follow the address. In terms of how our government operates, nothing actually changes.

Overreach continues as we are taxed and regulated relentlessly. The warfare/welfare state continues to demand that our leaders spend money they don’t have. We continue to be spied upon without due process and our remaining liberties shrink as government expands.

So why do so many continue to pretend that this is such an earth-shaking event? Why give our allegiance to a passion play that blatantly aggrandizes the political class?

Commentator Lew Rockwell wryly summarized why he no longer watches the address by noting, “I’ve seen enough of the fascist jumping jacks to last me a lifetime.”

Even those who aren’t so jaded would be wise to consider whether this fixation with the halls of power accomplishes anything worthwhile.

The other serious disconnect of the past week was seen in the various political reactions to the release of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act memo which alleges that a number of our national security agencies sought to influence the last general election.

As much as both parties are posturing over the release of this particular memo, the real story is found in the establishment’s reaction to the memo rather than its contents. The hysteria from both sides seems wildly disproportionate to the actual effect of such information becoming public.

All the stern warnings about the danger this revelation poses to national security seem to be deflections to divert our attention away from the danger it poses to their real goal – political security.

Why else would the intrusive surveillance powers of the FISA courts be reauthorized with overwhelming bipartisan support last month if they were a clear threat to the American people? The answer, of course, is that the memo stands to shine light on the behind-the-scenes machinations being carried out daily by the bureaucrats who comprise the American deep state.

These are the people who have the most to lose if the American public were to recognize that the greatest threat to each of us is posed by lawless bureaucracies rather than free individuals.

Caitlin Johnstone spells it out perfectly when she writes:

There is no denying the fact that plutocrats, intelligence agencies, defense agencies and the mass media are both powerful and unelected, and there is no denying the fact that there are many convoluted and often conflicting alliances between them. All that can be debated is the manner and extent to which this is happening.

At the root of the hype surrounding the State of the Union address and the hysteria regarding the FISA memo is an unhealthy deference toward those who claim to be our political saviors.

Those who place their deepest hopes for salvation in such man-made superstitions are destined to be disappointed when their promised deliverance ends up leaving them in deeper bondage.

The kinds of people and agencies that actively avoid the accountability that comes from doing their work in the light of day cannot be counted on to represent our best interests. They are highly skilled at pitting us against one another while consolidating power over all.

Political solutions won’t protect us from institutionalized evil. That can only be accomplished by individuals who fearlessly embrace and live up to moral truth.

Bryan Hyde is an opinion columnist specializing in current events viewed through what he calls the lens of common sense. The opinions stated in this article are his and not representative of St. George News.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @youcancallmebry

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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15 Comments

  • dons8120 February 5, 2018 at 8:26 am

    Great piece Bryan (wow that sounds weird saying that), this is exactly what our country needs. We need to tell Washington that we are in charge, not them. Unfortunately people thought they were getting that with Trump. He tricked everyone with his drain the swamp and build a wall speeches. He is only in it for himself, much like congress. Until they change the rules about special interest paying congress, we as citizens will continue to be the losers. Draining the swamp can only be done by our votes. We need to take back control of our country, republicans and democrats joined together to get rid of these politicians who only care about their wallet and getting re-elected.

  • ladybugavenger February 5, 2018 at 11:16 am

    Are there really people that think or believe a politician is a savior? Very sad!

    There is only one savior, Jesus- Lord and savior.

    • tcrider February 5, 2018 at 12:58 pm

      there is a small herd of them ladybug, and they live in southern utah and northern arizona,
      I call them the BBB also known as bundy supporters.

    • 12345 February 5, 2018 at 4:54 pm

      Political savior lol !

  • ladybugavenger February 5, 2018 at 12:26 pm

    Any time there’s a tax cut or any stimulus package or bonuses inflation comes at a price that will cost more than your increase. A race to the bottom, Welcome to America!

    Toll cost went up in oklahoma! Gas went up! Walmarts prices go up every week! Its the American dream for someone.

    Back to the artcle, the more I learn, the more I learn there was Russian collusion but it wasn’t by Trump. It was Hillary and her team
    The Patriots feel your pain Hillary. They thought they were going to win too.

    • bikeandfish February 5, 2018 at 3:41 pm

      Curious, how do claim the DNC colluded with Russia? I mean we don’t even have a finding from Mueller on wether or not Trump did.

      • ladybugavenger February 5, 2018 at 8:26 pm

        Bought and paid for dossier. Paid for by clinton….but hey, why would Russia want Trump to be president? Don’t you think Hillary would have been a better choice for them?

      • ladybugavenger February 5, 2018 at 8:33 pm

        Without the dossier, there would be no investigation.
        The DNC accuses Trump of colluding using a paid for dossier (the memo). Causing an investigation into Trump. Why? To take away from the DNC colluding. If they accuse someone else, then people don’t see what their doing….Its the clinton way- they have been using this tactic for years…..just wait, its like Tom Brady, cheaters can’t always win ?

  • bikeandfish February 5, 2018 at 3:40 pm

    Interesting, saw Libertas advertising for a Director of Development job today. Looks like Hyde has moved on again. Moving into the Bundy Ranch?

  • ladybugavenger February 5, 2018 at 8:41 pm

    b&f will you tell me why Russia would want Trump to be President of the USA?

    I cant, for the life of me, find a reason.

    • jaybird February 5, 2018 at 9:48 pm

      Simple, Lady. Pay for play. Ever since Trumps Atlantic City casino bankruptcies, US banks wouldnt loan him $. He sought foreign investors and got caught in business transactions with shady Russian mobsters and crooked foreign politicians, money launderinng through his Trump Soho and buildings outside the US. Trump is beholding to these shady characters and Russia wants him to drop US energy sanctions against Russia so Exxon Mobile can drill baby drill there. Watch Netflix Dirty Money documentary series, Confidence Man to get up to speed on your guy. Hes a crook who pleads he knew nothing about the crooks laundering through properties he lends his name to, but its “willful blindness” or knowing whats going on while turning a blind eye. Bet you wont watch. Most Trumpers really dont want to listen to credible truth. You wont hear about this on Rush Limbaugh.

  • bikeandfish February 6, 2018 at 10:13 am

    Ugh, the dossier was first organized and financed by the RNC. The DNC bought it after Trump won the primaries. Its also not collusion with Russia as its a dossier from a spy about Trump alleged connection to Russia.

    HRC was much more antagonistic to Russia; Trump had always taken a friendlier stance. The biggest issue with Russia, that the average joe has information to, is there meddling in the election via bots that increased partisan tension. Other than that we have to wait for Mueller’s finding.

    And yes, there would be an investigation without the dossier. There was other evidence of concern, like the information regarding Manafort’s activities.

    • ladybugavenger February 6, 2018 at 2:25 pm

      I actually watched it the other day. And I have no doubt all businessmen do shady things for a buck. But, I missed the part about Exxon. Thanks for your input. We will waitf and see what really happens.

      I guarantee you this, whatever happens is better than Hillary ? Amen! Maybe y’all didnt see Obama setting up for one world order. I did, and the Bible says it will happen. I just feel relief, that it’s not happening today. Hillary would have sold America in the first year. Again, we won’t get to see that ?

      • ladybugavenger February 6, 2018 at 2:26 pm

        Sorry b&f i was answering jaybird.

        Have a nice day!

    • ladybugavenger February 6, 2018 at 2:32 pm

      To answer you, I’m ready for the Democrat Memo to come out.

      You know what I hate about politics? Two parties that fight all the time. There’s no United. Why? Why can’t people unite on issues they agree on? Why is it Democrat vs Republicans? What happened to issues and solvong problems? Thats it right there, nothing gets solved.

      Ive never understood politics, politicians, the world. Im just not equipped to be a part of it, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.

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