Spin

Spin is what we once did with a top. Many of you remember the little toys we grew up with. Some were those mechanical ones that we pumped a little handle on the top until it was spinning fast enough to stay up on it's own. Others were small toys that we used a string on and threw it in front of us and on the ground to get it spinning. We also used to spin or twirl on swings and ropes as we would wind them up and let them spin us as they unwound.

Lately spin has taken on a completely different meaning, especially in the political world. It is a method of taking any information and spinning it to sound positive for your side. This is often done without regard for truth or accuracy, which is probably why it is called spin. It is practiced on both sides of the aisle, and everywhere in between it seems.

I'm not sure where the term 'spin' as used in our political discussions comes from. I could probably do a search and find out, or at least find two or three explanations. The one that comes to my mind is the old saying we had about 'spinning a yarn'. Of course, that came from the use of spinning wheels to take wool or other fibers and spinning them into a yarn to use in materials. Well 'spinning a yarn' means to take a basic idea or fact and embellishing it with all sorts of other information (true or not) and making a story out of it. This is good for entertainment, but not so good for a country that should base its existence on truth and freedom.

There isn't a lot of "The Buck Stops Here" mentality anywhere in the country anymore. Many will say it, but then there are no consequences for what happened. They don't change and it just blows over. They say the buck stops with them and then spin the discussion to explain why there wasn't any real wrongdoing.

I am not naive and know that there have been many cases in our history that required some embellishment to sway public opinion in order to take actions necessary to our existence. And I don't believe that we have to know every detail of things that are best left behind closed doors. However, the use of spin has become too much of an art used to promote a person, a party, or a single idea instead of doing what is best for the country as a whole. We seem to be only interested in what is good for me and not what is good for the country.

It has gotten to the point of protecting our own, no matter how heinous the offense. Only when overwhelming evidence is proven can any actions be taken to correct a situation. This is a country wide problem and happens from the bottom to the top. However, the higher up it goes the more people it affects. No matter what your party affiliation is, you should want unethical and criminal behavior to be stopped. And it should not matter whether they or one of 'our own' or not. If they are a member of our government, they are one of our own. We are all Americans and US citizens on both side of the political aisle.

Individually, we all have a desire to look good to others. We want to be seen as intelligent and capable. There is nothing in us that desires to be corrected for a mistake. Winston Churchill once said, "I am always ready to learn. Though, I do not always like being taught." So this desire to look good translates to actions to cover our backsides. We do not want to admit mistakes, much less take actions to correct them. Yet that is what should be done for the good of our parties and our country.

All sides need to take a hard look at what we are doing to the country. We need to stop dividing on every little issue. Choose the battles for the ones that are necessary and work together on the many that we already agree on.

I know that spin isn't about to stop. It will be used for good and bad for a long time to come. I would be happier if we could at least get the media to stop repeating the spin and start reporting on the facts.