The Oldest Reality Show in Town

Realpolitik (German: real “realistic”, “practical” or “actual”; and Politik “politics”) refers to politics or diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations, rather than ideological notions. The term realpolitik is often used pejoratively to imply politics that are coercive, amoral, orMachiavellian. Realpolitik is a theory of politics that focuses on considerations of power, not ideals, morals, or principles.

Thanks for that wikipedia, my old friend for quick answers.  Thanks, anonymous reader, for asking me to write about realpolitiks.  It's one of the more misunderstood concepts in modern politics.  When George Bush used strong words with North Korea and Iran, he wasn't just being boisterous, he was being diplomatic.  He was using on of the oldest tricks in the book.  Otto von Bismarck, Chancelor of Germany under Wilhelm II, coined the term.  The Cold War was also a wonderful example of a time period of the use of the device.

Why did we invade Iraq but not North Korea?  Realpolitik dictates that North Korea's nukes make them a more difficult target than Iraq.  They were both ruled by dictators with less-than-stellar human rights records and they were both in Bush's Axis of Evil.  We also didn't invade Iran because they are supported by Russia (which is interesting with regards to history, but who likes history?).

I think I've done enough of a definition and history of realpolitik, I'd like to now look at its use and future.  Realpolitik is not the actual use of force, it is the thought of force.  It is not the game of Risk, it is the game of Diplomacy.  (All rights reserved)  Realpolitik is why I love politics.  You don't ever actually use force, but you make sure that everyone knows exactly how much force you have and you make really sure how much force everyone else has.  George Bush wanted to play the game but wasn't very good at it, he was too much of a cowboy.  If I had to pick one person who was the best I'd say Vladamir Putin.  I absolutely love Vladamir Putin.  It's not surprise that I called the Georgia invasion.  It was an application of realpolitik.  Didn't I just say that realpolitick wasn't a use of force?  Yes I did.  Let me help you all get rid of the dissonance.  The invasion of Georgia wasn't an invasion of Georgia.  Russia didn't care about Georgia.  They had two objectives in that conflict: show Turkey that they still wanted the Dardanelles Strait and show the US that a country can be invaded and left.  They succeeded in both of these objectives.

that was one of the most recent and successful examples of realpolitik.  Now for the future.  The United States is going to wallow in the memory of former glory as China and Russia and India rise in power.  This does not mean that the United States will be meaningless, like so many writers like to state.  They will however, no longer be the bully.  We will have to learn how to share the world with the rest of the people that live on it.  Developing countries are going to continue to develop in the wake of our fall.  If we were going to learn one lesson, we should learn from England.  England has had a graceful fall from power and enjoys a position of power without force.  Everyone remembers how great England used to be and those diplomatic ties will not be severed easily.  We should tell our government to get out of the way of business so that we can continue to bankroll the development of the rest of the world so that China doesn't reap the enormous benefits.

When it comes to political force, it really is a zero-sum game.  Not to sound like a Barberian active negative, but there can only be so many voices shouting in a crowd that can be listened to.  The real players of real politics will last over time.  The oldest trick in the book will be the last trick in the book.

The Problem With Government Globalization

I would like to come out and make a statement: I like global government.  I like it a lot.  I think that a centralized government could bring about a new pax romana.  I think that with technology and communication where they are now, in ten or fifteen years border lines are going to be practically nonexistent.  Business has been working for years to fudge the lines and people are starting to come along.

That being said, there is a problem with global government as it stands right now.  We have an international legislature.  The United Nations does a wonderful job of being a bigger version of the United States Congress.  They talk a lot and they come out with a lot of statements.  The difference is that Congress actually has some form of power.  The United Nations has been balked at by nations such as Iran and North Korea.  The rules of the body have allowed Russia and China, and much to the chagrin of this blog the United States, to single-handedly prevent any meaningful action.  Even if the group were going to pass an important law that would either guarantee rights in nations that don't have them or block the rights of some nations that have broken the rules of the Geneva Conventions, they don't have the authority or the power to impose these rules.  I'd enjoy hearing that the UN imposed a sanction on the United States for invading not one, but two, foreign nations illegally and broke several human rights laws in the imprisonment of individuals at Guantanamo Bay.  Or the same for Israel in their latest invasion of the Gaza Strip.  It would also be great if the UN would tickled this new issue of piracy.  or old issue of piracy.  Or whatever.  But they won't.  yes I know that the last few sentences were not properly punctuated and i dont care.  there:  see what i think of your punctuation*  tee hee.

There is also an international court.  They face the same problem as the legislature.  The International Criminal Court has tried in recent months to try such major criminals as the President of the Sudan, whose list of crimes is too long for me to desire to reasearch.  A few problems.  Under what authority is this court imposing its verdict?  Where are they going to fulfill the sentence of the court?  Who is going to force the President of Sudan, for example, to show up for his trial?  Should the President find that his trial was unfair or mishandled, where will he appeal the decision?  Who picks the judges?  Like I said, this group is a great idea but it wasn't planned for long term legitimacy.  Much like any act of our new Congress, it seems that the appearance of doing something is more important than actually accomplishing something.

There is no international executive person or body and there is no measure currently in existence to enforece the laws, which is the purpose of any executive.  Until there is an executive person or body in place that is supported, at the very least, by all of the members of the United Nations, neither the legislative nor the judicial bodies can have any real power.

Now, to make libertyhound happy, let me say why I'm glad the system doesn't work.  I am glad that the international system doesn't work because the world isn't ready for it.  Right now each country has too many personal problems to be able to function properly in a larger group.  Especially in the United States people need to remember the phrase, "To thine own self be true."  One of the reasons that the authors of this blog are so displeased is that we have one vision of the direction of this country in mind and the current leadership seems to have another.  It's not even about single acts of Congress or decisions of the Supreme Court.  It's about the state of mind.  Right now there is a large portion of the country that wants the government to be God and there is a large portion that doesn't.  I don't want to talk to the large group that doesn't think about the government becaue they don't read my blog.  HAHA.

Until we have a serious discussion in this country about what the PURPOSE of the government should be we can't even begin to have a discussion about what the actions of the government ARE.  Every individual has to go through this at some point.  I went through it fairly early I think, so I should be avoiding a midlife crisis.  Our country has hit its midlife crisis and we need to stop buying the proverbial sports car with endless spending on healthcare.

I'd like to ask each of you to respond to this post by telling the Road what your main issue is.  If you had to pick one issue in the pantheon then what would it be?  Let us know.  We're not going to start writing about what you want to hear about to pander for readers.  I've been writing on this blog for almost a year and have seen readers come and go.  I didn't pick authors based on their following.  I picked authors because I knew that they would improve the quality of the discussion for my few readers.  As we continue to try to spur the conversation about the purpose of government in this country, please take our points and use them in conversation.  If you don't agree with us, please tell your friends what you don't agree with.  I have said a lot of things in the last few months that have ended up being true.  I am going to try to continue this pattern of accuracy and hopefully open my own psychic hotline.  Not really but admit that you laughed.

Maybe I Should Get Texans A Dictionary

So-cial-ism

noun

A theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

Now, if you want to argue that Obama on a political spectrum is further towards Socialism than any previous president in recent memory, you may make that argument - and I would whole-heartedly agree with you.

I fully agree that many of his policies have us heading to a Zimbabwe state of hyper-inflation, but still, we are not even close to socialism. Denmark and Norway are both closer to Socialism than we are.

I keep seeing these signs at the Texas rallys for secession that say things like "Obamanomics is Fascism", "Obama is socialism with a smiley face", and the such. Please, just stop. You are making yourself look dumb.

If you want to say you disagree with Obama's socialist policies, then go ahead and state so. I voted for him and I don't agree with some of them also. However, you are hurting your cause even more by proving just how ignorant and stupid you really are by trying to sensationalize.

All I'll say on Texas's secession is that, if the majority of the state wants to use Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter as role models: Feel free to get the hell out of my country, we'd be better off without you.

Coach is Quitting

After being one of the greatest coaches in the league, John Madden went on to be the most recognized broadcaster in football (Howard Kosell is already dead I didn't forget about him). The release of his annual football video games has almost become a national holiday. Today, John is going home to put some tough-actin' Tinactin on his feet and supplement his retirement by putting in a shift at ACE, the helpful hardware place. boom. I'm gonna go weep now.

Update

Hey folks! There have been a lot of things goin on with those of us on the Road Less Traveled. On St Patrick's day the three of us for together in My home town of Pikeville KY. This was the forst time all three of us have been in the same room. There was a lot of talk about politics and political philosophy. What amazed me about these conversations was how close we all really are. The three of us are pretty seperate politically. We are all true patriotic Americans. We all truly want what is best for this country even when that means shaking things up a bit. We all truly believe that what is best is not always what is the prettiest or easiest way out. We talked about eh bail out adn the damage it will do to our nation. We talked about drug policy and how prohibition is not working. We talked about how war is rarely the best answer. We talked about how Ron Paul is the greatest living American. Well, I talked about that one. 

Another change that has been keeping us busy here on the Road is my new roommate. You all know him as the Leviathan. I now have that pompus know it all sleeping across the hall form me ... another pompus know it all. I sort of feel sorry for my poor girlfriend who will never  live another day without hearing a political or religious argument shouted through the cloud of beer, bourbon, and pipe smoke. Well, between us we have a fine library of books and movies. Look forward to many more posts and possible some new video posts, as well as many other changes around here. We really appreciate you guys sticking with us through our crazy lives and participating when we have time to rant and pontificate. Thanks for joining us on the road and stap in, its gunna be a long trip.