The political class and media may be involved in their cultural wars and political posturing, but we have to come to grips with the fact that we are the enablers.

Troy Marshall 2, BEEF Contributing Editor

March 23, 2017

2 Min Read
Opinion: Is it time to send a message to Washington or to the country?

Talking politics now-a-days is something we all try to avoid. It is largely an embarrassment regardless of your perspective or side of the aisle. They say the nation is divided, when in fact, the actual divide comes between our media and the political class. I’m not sure that the average American is ready to go to war, but the media and our politicians are definitely fighting one.

We still do not have a Secretary of Agriculture two months after the President was inaugurated. This is absurd!  Whether it is politics, gamesmanship or incompetence is the biggest reason for the failure is irrelevant. Things like the fires that swept across the states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas are prime examples of why these people need to be in place and moving forward. 

Every single elected official may have loyalties to their party and the voters that elected them, but they also should represent all of their constituencies and be working for the greater good of the country. The fact that they are more focused on the next election and political maneuvering then the greater good, is not reflective of the failure of politicians as much as it is the failure of the electorate to hold them accountable and to send the message that enough is enough. 

Related:Opinion: Alternative facts, alternative realities compete for attention in the post-election political scene

As cynical as it sounds, politicians are driven by dollars and votes; the media by dollars and ratings and it is the average citizen who controls both. The political class and media may be involved in their cultural wars and political posturing, but we have to come to grips with the fact that we are the enablers.

It is scary, but understandable, that as the games in Washington increase, the less likely the average citizen is to participate in the process. However, if we leave it to the politicians, the media and the extreme activists on both sides to be the drivers, then we shouldn’t be surprised if they keep taking us in a direction that does not move us forward, but rather drives us careening from one ditch to another.

About the Author(s)

Troy Marshall 2

BEEF Contributing Editor

Troy Marshall is a multi-generational rancher who grew up in Wheatland, WY, and obtained an Equine Science/Animal Science degree from Colorado State University where he competed on both the livestock and World Champion Horse Judging teams. Following college, he worked as a market analyst for Cattle-Fax covering different regions of the country. Troy also worked as director of commercial marketing for two breed associations; these positions were some of the first to provide direct links tying breed associations to the commercial cow-calf industry.

A visionary with a great grasp for all segments of the industry, Troy is a regular opinion contributor to BEEF Cow-Calf Weekly. His columns are widely reprinted and provide in-depth reporting and commentary from the perspective of a producer who truly understands the economics and challenges of the different industry segments. He is also a partner/owner in Allied Genetic Resources, a company created to change the definition of customer service provided by the seedstock industry. Troy and his wife Lorna have three children. 

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