Politics

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it, and then misapplying the wrong remedies." -- Groucho Marx

Someone the other day asked me what I disliked most about my job. I stood there for a moment, thought about it and finally answered "nothing, I love my job at Tri-Valley." It was a spur of the moment answer, so I didn't have much of an opportunity to contemplate a response. Later that evening, after I had time to think about it, I decided the answer was "politics." I don't mean "office politics," but the political system in general. As a history buff, I have spent countless hours reading and studying about political history from the dawn of political systems in ancient Mesopotamia to our current democratic system here in the United States. In fact, I fell in love with history during elementary school when I read a book about ancient Greece and the development of democracy.

There are a couple of reasons why I don't like the current political climate. First is the way we bounce from one radical perspective to another, from far left to far right. What happened to political moderation, civility within politics, representation of constituents and not corporations or special interest groups? These are the reasons why some politicians have popularity ratings in the teens or less, but why do we keep electing the radical left and right? Are the political parties unable to find suitable candidates?

Sometimes politicians don't realize that their radical ideologies throw systems into turmoil, especially social services where the lives of people are at stake. Change has been a constant factor in our system since the advent of services for people with intellectual disabilities and no one likes change more than myself, as long as it is a positive change that has received careful thought. People with intellectual disabilities typically require structure in their lives; consistency is the foundation for ensuring that emotional, physical and behavioral health needs are met. Having to constantly revise philosophies, policies and practices, because of a change in what political party is in control only adds to the problems the people we serve face.

The second reason why I dislike politics is the need to advocate for our system on a regular basis. Funding for people with intellectual disabilities should be a slam dunk every session, but it isn't. There are those in Topeka who don't feel that it is the state's responsibility to take care of the most vulnerable populations even though it is spelled out clearly in the state constitution and Developmental Disability Reform Act of 1995. Some politicians argue that it is the responsibility of the families and churches to care for people with disabilities. If you have ever had the opportunity to spend a day with some of the more difficult people we serve, you would understand why assistance is needed. For example, we have one individual that requires one-on- one supports because he eats inanimate objects, bangs his head on the wall, elopes and slaps. Can you imagine his frail 70-year-old mother dealing with him alone at home? Being a caregiver is a difficult challenge for anyone who has had to provide care to an older parent, a spouse that has been disabled in a car accident, etc. All it takes is one second for someone to be put in this situation and when it does happen to you, perspective changes quickly.

We are still the greatest country on earth, the freedoms we possess are second to none and we are still a country of compassionate individuals. It's time for us to work together to solve our problems and put people before party.

The great comedian Groucho Marx had it right when he said, "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it, and then misapplying the wrong remedies."