10

These politicians are driving me up the wall talking about 10 point plans. Like Moses came down from the mountain and declared that every plan must have 10 points. Why does every political plan have to have ten points? What if it only needs 3? Or 15?

I’m so sick of 10 points I could scream. It’s kind of like the dogma of 12 step programs: they must have twelve or they don’t work. 11 and 13 steps are not allowed.

I have to wonder if our political leaders don’t use their 10 step plans in the same way. 10 is the magic number. Any less, it’s not comprehensive. Any more, it’s too much government interference.

That’s the only explanation I can find for language hidden in legislation and legislative proposals.

Nine isn’t enough. Eleven is too many.

Didn’t they ever watch “Eight is Enough”?

Enough is enough is always enough. Whether it be 10, 7 or 120.

To continually rely on a magic number to solve grave problems is tantamount to confessing that the problems are not as important as a political career. To admit that no magic number exists would be a death knell.

Trying to fit complicated problems into sound-bites does nothing but degrade both the political process and the democracy as a whole. It denigrates our political process, reducing it to 10 point plans.

Mr. Jefferson would be appalled.

He drafted the Declaration of Independence and a good bit of the Constitution to be sufficiently vague to allow for a free (if, that is, you were a white man who owned property) electorate. And even with all his shortcomings, he would not understand a 10 point plan if it bit him on the face.

He had one point, and one point only: ensure freedom for what would become the United States from England.

It didn’t take a 10 point plan to start the Revolution. It took enough people getting pissed off about someone half a world taking their money to stand up and say “No more.”

“This shall not stand. We’re mad as hell, and we’re not taking it any more.”

There was no 10 point plan for the Boston Tea Party. There was no 10 point plan for the Civil War. There wasn’t for WW1 or WW2, either.

There was always one point: freedom from a repressive government; restitution of the Union; defeat of tyrants who threatened world peace.

This election should likewise be about one point, and one only: restoring the country that I call home and love, much like a parent that loves a difficult child in spite of all else. That should be the point.

One point.

Not 10.

And if they can get around to other things, so be it.

Just no more 10 point plans, please. I beg of you.

They are hollow, a clanging gong, signifying nothing.