Quick fixes don’t solve tough problems, or cool the temperature

Americans love a quick fix, an easy answer, and immediate satisfaction. We crave comfort. TV drug ads may not mention what it cures, but if it cures fast, we love it.

Have you been trapped in an early morning airport coffee line behind “complicated order person?” I have. Their order has more ingredients and steps than Grandma’s top secret chili recipe.

Waiting, I first shake my head and shrug my shoulders. Then I roll my eyes dramatically like every 13-year-old girl in English class. I’m praying the barista will take pity on my plight. She doesn’t. No quick fix for me.

Right now, we’re faced with politicians calling for a scary quick fix. Charlie Kirk was murdered. No one should celebrate any murder. It’s cruel and ugly. But it seems teachers and late-night comics are held to a higher standard than our political leaders.

The quick fix solution is to blame “radical left lunatics,” and to try and stifle free speech even though the alleged murderer acted alone. That’s a prescription for division, not healing.

People writing on social media should follow Mom’s rules, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything.” But canceling freedom of speech is dangerous. George Washington said,“If freedom of speech may be taken away, the dumb and silent may be led like sheep to slaughter.”

The love of quick fixes for difficult problems is drowning our politics, and it explodes whenever there’s a major news event, and during our political campaigns. The media shout shows fuel division, and politicians play for the cameras and headlines.

I hear politicians saying, “We need to turn the temperature down.” That’s true. But in the same interview he/she twists themselves in knots defending outrageous statements from members of their own party. The temperature rises.

What can be done to cool the temperature?

The reason politicians use negative campaigning is because it works. Voters need to reject it, and it will stop.

Everyone needs to stop calling people they disagree with, “Nazis, liberal scum, fascists, vermin, communists, lunatics, communists,” or any other vile name.

We also should condemn the name calling whenever we hear it. Despite the “sticks and stones poem,” words do hurt and divide.

Political campaigns are too long. We should elect our leaders in six months or less. Long campaigns force candidates to fill air space. I’ve done a lot of political door knocking and found people startled there’s an election in three days. I know the political class and media want long campaigns. The public doesn’t. A general election campaign in England lasts 25 days.

Campaigns are too expensive. Politicians spend a lot of time begging for money and attending fund-raising events. The money eliminates great candidates. A candidate who pledges not to accept special interest money tends to lose.

We have laws to protect consumers from false advertising. But during political campaigns some candidates lie without penalty. Often the candidate will hide behind a third party to do the last-minute, extreme campaigning. Free speech is sacred in America, but fraud is illegal in business. It should be in campaigns too.

Most Americans live in the political middle. Most candidates are forced to the Right or Left. Compromise isn’t a weak word. Bipartisan laws are the ones the survive beyond elections.

Politicians shouldn’t get to choose their voters. Gerrymandering is wrong and it cheats voters.

We can cool the temperature if we’re willing to have conversations with people we disagree with. It’s hard to hate someone when you’re having coffee with them.

Bruce Lear taught for 11 years and represented educators as an Iowa State Education Association Regional Director for 27 years until he retired. He lives in Sioux City. BruceLear2419@gmail.com