The 'Cut and Run' From Reason

There is little here in the criticism of our administration, though subject at hand is the presidents use of "cut and run," and how he apparently withdrew use of those inciting words. The fundamental problem is with those who first accepted the presidents statement as a realistic argument. Let me start off by saying "cut and run" and "stay the course" have almost nothing to do with millitary strategy. To stay the course is simply a communication tactic. They are expressions used by politicians to enahance their chosen position by dictating the context of the debate. The president presents the public with a limited number of possibilities, bunching together every possibility that does not align with his, then vilify it as a whole in simplified form, i.e. cut and run.

We absolutely need to understand the difference between valid arguments, and the scrupulous tactics used to sway public opinion. As of now, in the current state of our society, the truth alone does little to shape the opinions of the American public. The politicians arent going to change their tactics so long as the public latches on so easily to simple, grade school arguments.

So do we blame the general public for being moved by such nonesense, or the politicians for doing what seems currently necessary to win public office? Personally, I look first towards the citizens of this nation. A close eye will recognize that politicians are not the only ones that exploit our tendancies. We are marketed everything under the sun in basically the same fashion; our everyday communication, including casual decision making, constantly revolve around this perspective of accepting irrationally driven influences. The truth in deciding upon the most appropriate course of action is never relegated to a limited number, which is the important rule to recognize in evaluating most of the political rhetoric aimed at the public. With this knowledge in constant application, one may gain a greater capacity to understand the many layers of communication at work, and force those in office to take up a more reasoned approach to discussing their proposals.