Fred Barnes On The Importance Of Politics

I loved how Fred finished up his latest column and thought I would share.

What’s worrisome, perhaps only to me, is that too many people take politics too seriously. More than a few folks I’ve run into in recent years are obsessed. They’re political junkies in the nonmetaphorical sense. They’re addicted. It’s fine to be concerned about this year’s presidential race. It’s enormously important. And it’s smart to keep up with the news. But there’s a limit.

Politics isn’t life. Like baseball, it’s a pastime. There are surefire ways to keep politics in perspective, especially for sports fans. Always boo politicians who show up for some ceremony before a game, at halftime, or between periods. And be prepared to rebuke politicians who pretend to be enthusiastic fans but don’t know the names of players. Sports buffs know intuitively that this works. If you’re not one, give it a try, and politics might just find its proper place in your life.

There's one caveat: As the government grows, politics becomes a greater and greater portion of life. If you don't like the growing political discord in the country, vote for a smaller government. We'll never be able to do away with disagreement, but we can at least minimize the number of things we disagree about.