Into the Maelstrom

Maelstrom - 1. noun, a dangerous area of water that moves very fast in a circle : whirlpool
                     2. adj, a situation in which there are a lot of confused activities, emotions, etc.

Some of you might have known what a maelstrom was. But for those who don't, here it is spelled out for you. And for those that did know that it was some kind of storm on the water, now you know it can be used to describe a dire or chaotic situation, much like how the everyday events of our United States Political System might seem to you right now. 

When I first became aware of our political climate a few years ago and actually understood what was going on in our country because I took the time to learn and comprehend, two things popped into my mind. First was "Wait.... are you freakin' kidding me?" Some of the actions of our leaders and representatives, or lack thereof, drove my mind crazy. Why would they do this? And why is everyone just letting them?! I was quickly reminded why I stayed far from politics in high school and early college. 

But political thoughts swirled around in my head like a song you can't stop playing over and over. Why are some so against tax increases that would help us significantly to begin paying off our debt? When will there be real economic progress in employment, healthcare and the stock market? Why are the representative political bodies so recently stagnant in law-making and competence?

Then almost immediately after that series of thought, I asked "Who can I talk to about this?" Luckily enough, I had a few very political friends who were more than happy to indulge my new fascination. However, the ones who I really wanted to talk about these things with, my close peers and friends, really knew nothing about what was going on in the U.S. politically. They had either backed from it completely saying they didn't want to know or expressed some menial concern, would throw out the most recent political-ish event for context and moved along with the conversation. I wanted to change this.

I know politics can be intimidating with a lot of information and lingo you may not know and will sometimes be infuriating when those in power do not see or make the best choice for the country, but our power here comes in knowledge. Knowing, as they say, is half the battle. You can't act if you don't have the facts. And sometimes those facts can be hard to grasp or understand, much like when some humble yet copious writer randomly uses the word "maelstrom." But like that instance, I'm here to break it down and give you a detailed definition of all its tenses. Heck, I'll even use it in a sentence for you.

That is the aim of this blog; to take seemingly complex political events, thoughts and actions, look at them through various angles and aspects and to present it in a way that's easy to read and even easier to understand. Being political doesn't mean walking around high and mighty with a stick up your ass throwing out random facts about Roe v. Wade or the late Arab Spring. It's about sparking conversation, spreading legitimate and truthful information and, just perhaps, inciting change.

This is your country. Take an interest.