We have a sociability problem

I was taken aback yesterday, when Jackie Calmes of the New York Times, asked the president if  he could achieve more if he could establish personal connections with Republicans. The president said that he was a friendly guy and liked to party as well as anyone, but both parties are as different as night and day when it comes to policy making.

There’s another side to that coin, the former governor of Florida, Charlie Christ, was railroaded out of the GOP when he dared to thank the president for the stimulus funds his state received.  I imagine that it’s embarrassing for the administration to reveal that they have extended John Boehner six invitations to state dinners and he refused all of them. Personal connections work both ways. You really can’t have a personal connection if Congress only meets three days a week.

It’s time for one of my boring stories to prove my point that diversification works. I remember a group that I hired on with used to think that Joe was lazy, and we were all amazed that he kept up his grades in the hiring school. We thought that because Joe didn’t hang out with anyone, nor did he ask any questions. It was only after we received our work assignments and got to work with Joe  that  we learned that he didn’t take breaks but instead used that time to learn more about his job. About 15 years later, a lot of  us called Joe “ boss.” 

It wasn’t that long ago, a lot of us were discussing a  blogger get- together but a lot has happened since then, so I doubt that it would be possible today. Since that time, the political discourse has become more heated than ever, and many have posted things that we cannot retract. The seed was planted, and it grew from there. We got caught up in the national conversation and drew our own line- in- the- sand; mentality and in the words we wrote. It’s ironic because I wouldn’t know 99% of the people I write about, if they rang my door bell.

My wife didn’t get political because she liked politics; it was because it was all around her. Look at the top ten movies up for an Oscar, so many many have a political tint to them. The other day while my wife was waiting for her car to be repaired, she overheard three Republicans discussing Obama and the democratic party, so she got up (in the new spacious Toyota waiting room) and moved. I hear politics in my barber shop (then it’s about the GOP) and two weeks ago I heard a couple of elders in my church discussing the gun issue and the liberals. It’s everywhere and seems to  be spreading like a plague. Politics and religion used to be a no-no in mixed company, but that is so 20th century.

I don’t see  a solution for our sociability  problem anytime soon and  it might be like our last civil war;only twice as long.