Today Yahoo.com carried an Associated Press (AP) report by Andrew Taylor titled, "Dems, GOP still at loggerheads as clock ticks."* The article quotes President Obama:
"'There is very little time,' President Barack Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address. He called for an end to political gamesmanship, saying 'the time for compromise on behalf of the American people is now.'"
Obama claims "there is very little time." His administration's messaging has been that on August 2nd the government will begin to default on its obligations. So, based on that messaging there is indeed very little time. We're almost there, so he says, 'the time for compromise on behalf of the American people is now.'" And, what is his solution to reach a compromise, end "political gamesmanship."
Now let's enter the POLITIZONE and see what is really going on.
To reach a compromise he called for an end to "political gamesmanship." Why did he say that? Because it makes him sound presidential. He is attempting to build the perception that he is above the fray and is displaying leadership. But, what he is really doing is acknowledging the fact that the political games the parties and their leadership (of which he is one) have been engaged in have precipitated the very crisis we now face. My question is, if the games must now be ended as he contends to reach a compromise, to what ends have they been pursued up until this point?
I find it so disingenuous when politicians invoke the interests of "the American people" when they speak.
Has it been in the interests of the American people for the parties and their leadership to engage in their political games? Obama stated that, "the time for compromise on behalf of the American people is now." Think about that comment for a moment. Why now? Why not months ago? If our politicians really cared about the interests of the American people wouldn't they have reached a compromise much sooner and avoided a crisis? Now the administration scares the old and infirm by threatening their Social Security payments. Doesn't that constitute political gamesmanship?
Political careerism creates a conflict of interest for our elected officials. Political gamesmanship is a euphemism for the actions and behaviors they engage in as they pursue their long careers in "public service." We elect them to serve us and represent our interests. However, their natural tendency is to act and behave in ways that enhance the chances of advancing their careers. Consequently, their self-serving interests supersede the interests of constituents and the imperative need to find long term solutions to the Nation's problems.
*The link to the AP story is:
http://news.yahoo.com/dems-gop-still-loggerheads-clock-ticks-074111936.html
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah
Today, POLITICO carried a report entitled, "Obama: 'Do what's right for country,' highlighting comments from his weekly address to the Nation.* In his comments about the debt ceiling debate he stated:
"We need an approach that goes after waste in the budget and gets rid of pet projects that cost billions of dollars,” he said. “We need an approach that makes some serious cuts to worthy programs – cuts I wouldn’t make under normal circumstances. And we need an approach that asks everybody to do their part.”
Now let's enter the POLITIZONE and see what is really going on.
What on earth does Obama mean? What are the "normal circumstances" he is referring to? What am I being asked to do? After all, he says everybody should do their part. This is a great example of the same tired rhetoric we get from our political leaders. Rhetoric intended to pacify us and make us think our career politicians are really working on our behalf. But what is really going on?
Let's not forget that Obama has an election to win in 2012. Saying things like "cuts I wouldn't make under normal circumstances" is all about political cover. He wants us to know that he wouldn't change a thing except for the current crisis engulfing the Nation over the debt ceiling limit. Next year he will campaign on the fact that he made the "tough choices" to steer the country out of the crisis. Being the consummate politician he knows he must build expectations now to support his re-election bid next year.
That being said, rest assured that the same calculus is going on with the Republican leadership. Boehner wants to remain Speaker of the House in 2012. He must figure out how to maximize political gain for his party to ensure they remain the majority party in the House to retain their hold on power.
Politicians love a crisis. What we must understand is that the debt ceiling crisis has been foisted upon us by the very political leaders that are attempting to exploit it for their personal benefit.
* Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59702.html#ixzz1Sxke7mSj
"We need an approach that goes after waste in the budget and gets rid of pet projects that cost billions of dollars,” he said. “We need an approach that makes some serious cuts to worthy programs – cuts I wouldn’t make under normal circumstances. And we need an approach that asks everybody to do their part.”
Now let's enter the POLITIZONE and see what is really going on.
What on earth does Obama mean? What are the "normal circumstances" he is referring to? What am I being asked to do? After all, he says everybody should do their part. This is a great example of the same tired rhetoric we get from our political leaders. Rhetoric intended to pacify us and make us think our career politicians are really working on our behalf. But what is really going on?
Let's not forget that Obama has an election to win in 2012. Saying things like "cuts I wouldn't make under normal circumstances" is all about political cover. He wants us to know that he wouldn't change a thing except for the current crisis engulfing the Nation over the debt ceiling limit. Next year he will campaign on the fact that he made the "tough choices" to steer the country out of the crisis. Being the consummate politician he knows he must build expectations now to support his re-election bid next year.
That being said, rest assured that the same calculus is going on with the Republican leadership. Boehner wants to remain Speaker of the House in 2012. He must figure out how to maximize political gain for his party to ensure they remain the majority party in the House to retain their hold on power.
Politicians love a crisis. What we must understand is that the debt ceiling crisis has been foisted upon us by the very political leaders that are attempting to exploit it for their personal benefit.
* Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59702.html#ixzz1Sxke7mSj
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Heart of the Problem
Today Yahoo.com carried a report by Andrew Gulley of Agence-France Presse (AFP), an international news agency, entitled, "Senate plan firms to avert US debt default."* What caught my attention about this report is how succinctly Gulley articulated the crux of the problem with the political process, in this country.
Gulley reported, "The budget showdown is enmeshed in America's perpetual election cycle as Republicans seek to block Obama's agenda, painting him as a big-spending liberal who would drive the country to economic ruin if reelected in 2012. But Republicans have to walk a fine line as any obviously cynical politicking seen as detrimental to the fragile US economy or imperiling jobs would also be electoral suicide."
The problem is not the election cycle itself because the process of frequent elections is established in the Constitution. The problem is career politicians have hijacked the election process to perpetuate their long careers in "public service."
The "perpetual" nature of the process means as soon as a politician wins an election he must immediately act and make decisions based on the imperative need to win the next election. After all, he wants to advance his career. Consequently, he must perform the calculus to minimize political risk and maximize political gain. What did Gulley say about Republicans? He said they have to "walk a fine line as any obviously cynical politicking seen as detrimental to the fragile US economy or imperiling jobs would also be electoral suicide."
However, what is missing from this report is the result of our career politicians being "enmeshed in America's perpetual election cycle," a corrupted governing process. Politicians are so focused on winning the next election and completing the political calculus to ensure their electoral success, the Nation suffers. Instead of long-term solutions to the Nation's problems we get short-sighted, politically expedient action and decisions. The country is really no better off, but career politicians are enabled to continue pursuing their own ambitions.
I especially like Gulley's perspective on the issue. He is on the outside looking in. Since he is on the outside he can provide a more objective assessment of our political situation. When a person has a personal stake in an outcome their own self interests tend to guide their actions. It is easy to understand why the interests of career politicians supersede the interests of constituents and the need to find long term solutions to the Nation's problems.
* The report was carried by Yahoo.com. Below is the link from AFP where the story is posted. The story was posted on AFP on 7/18 at 10:38 GMT
http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/taglibrary/activity/web/multimedia/afp-online-news
Gulley reported, "The budget showdown is enmeshed in America's perpetual election cycle as Republicans seek to block Obama's agenda, painting him as a big-spending liberal who would drive the country to economic ruin if reelected in 2012. But Republicans have to walk a fine line as any obviously cynical politicking seen as detrimental to the fragile US economy or imperiling jobs would also be electoral suicide."
The problem is not the election cycle itself because the process of frequent elections is established in the Constitution. The problem is career politicians have hijacked the election process to perpetuate their long careers in "public service."
The "perpetual" nature of the process means as soon as a politician wins an election he must immediately act and make decisions based on the imperative need to win the next election. After all, he wants to advance his career. Consequently, he must perform the calculus to minimize political risk and maximize political gain. What did Gulley say about Republicans? He said they have to "walk a fine line as any obviously cynical politicking seen as detrimental to the fragile US economy or imperiling jobs would also be electoral suicide."
However, what is missing from this report is the result of our career politicians being "enmeshed in America's perpetual election cycle," a corrupted governing process. Politicians are so focused on winning the next election and completing the political calculus to ensure their electoral success, the Nation suffers. Instead of long-term solutions to the Nation's problems we get short-sighted, politically expedient action and decisions. The country is really no better off, but career politicians are enabled to continue pursuing their own ambitions.
I especially like Gulley's perspective on the issue. He is on the outside looking in. Since he is on the outside he can provide a more objective assessment of our political situation. When a person has a personal stake in an outcome their own self interests tend to guide their actions. It is easy to understand why the interests of career politicians supersede the interests of constituents and the need to find long term solutions to the Nation's problems.
* The report was carried by Yahoo.com. Below is the link from AFP where the story is posted. The story was posted on AFP on 7/18 at 10:38 GMT
http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/taglibrary/activity/web/multimedia/afp-online-news
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Mere Pawns
Websters defines a pawn as, "a chess piece of the lowest value" or "a person used to advance another's purposes." What do you think is your role in the political chess match for party dominance.
In the political game of chess we are mere pawns. The pawn has the most limited mobility of all the chess pieces. It can only move in two directions, forward and diagonally. We are limited in our mobility by our entrenched two-party system. We realistically only have two choices: you can choose either a Democrat or a Republican. Also, we are used and manipulated to advance the interests of the parties' leadership. Being the majority party means being the party in power. Being in power is the most important thing for the parties' leadership.
Now let's enter the POLITIZONE and see what is really going with the current debt ceiling debate.
Political propaganda has built the debt ceiling issue into a crisis. The messaging from both parties has ensured the issue has become fraught with peril and doom not only for the Nation, but also for the entire world! The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Remember, politicians love a crisis.
It is politically easy and safe to play the blame game. Accuse the other guy of not acting in good faith and you deflect attention away from your own responsibility. In the debt ceiling debate both sides blame each other for the impasse on finding a solution. Neither side is accepting responsibility. Accepting responsibility means assuming greater political risk. It's interesting that each side accuses the other of not acting in the spirit of bipartisanship. Just a note here, bipartisanship is a political scam the parties foist upon us. On important party line votes, like raising the debt ceiling, bipartisanship is really a non-starter. But it serves a political purpose to place the blame.
Politicians love to play on our emotions so they can manipulate us and maintain their power over us. CNN reported that President Obama said Social Security checks might not go out if the debt limit is not raised. What was his intent in making that statement? Scare the old folks! And, of course, he blames the Republican Party leadership for the impasse. What is the emotional response to Obama's claim? It might go something like, "President Obama please don't let those sorry Republicans stop my Social Security check. You can't let them get away with it!" Not surprisingly the Republican leadership blames the President for the impasse on debt limit "negotiations" claiming he was not taking enough of a leadership role. This evokes an emotional response in Republicans. What is their response? It might go something like, "That sorry Obama! We can let him get away with it!"
What is the effect of this dysfunctional governing process? We are made to worry and fuss and fret and squirm and feel uneasy. "What's going to happen!?" "How will I keep a roof over my head and food on my table?"
And how about our career politicians? How about them? Do you think they suffer from the same anxiety and stresses they cause for us? Will their paychecks stop like your Social Security check might stop? The only thing they have to worry about is completing the calculus to ensure they maximize political gain or minimize political risk from the crisis. After all, they have to win their next election. And isn't that what matters most?
So, how do you feel? Do you think our political system empowers you or does it reduce your status to a mere pawn to be manipulated by career politicians so they can fulfill their self-serving interests?
In the political game of chess we are mere pawns. The pawn has the most limited mobility of all the chess pieces. It can only move in two directions, forward and diagonally. We are limited in our mobility by our entrenched two-party system. We realistically only have two choices: you can choose either a Democrat or a Republican. Also, we are used and manipulated to advance the interests of the parties' leadership. Being the majority party means being the party in power. Being in power is the most important thing for the parties' leadership.
Now let's enter the POLITIZONE and see what is really going with the current debt ceiling debate.
Political propaganda has built the debt ceiling issue into a crisis. The messaging from both parties has ensured the issue has become fraught with peril and doom not only for the Nation, but also for the entire world! The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Remember, politicians love a crisis.
It is politically easy and safe to play the blame game. Accuse the other guy of not acting in good faith and you deflect attention away from your own responsibility. In the debt ceiling debate both sides blame each other for the impasse on finding a solution. Neither side is accepting responsibility. Accepting responsibility means assuming greater political risk. It's interesting that each side accuses the other of not acting in the spirit of bipartisanship. Just a note here, bipartisanship is a political scam the parties foist upon us. On important party line votes, like raising the debt ceiling, bipartisanship is really a non-starter. But it serves a political purpose to place the blame.
Politicians love to play on our emotions so they can manipulate us and maintain their power over us. CNN reported that President Obama said Social Security checks might not go out if the debt limit is not raised. What was his intent in making that statement? Scare the old folks! And, of course, he blames the Republican Party leadership for the impasse. What is the emotional response to Obama's claim? It might go something like, "President Obama please don't let those sorry Republicans stop my Social Security check. You can't let them get away with it!" Not surprisingly the Republican leadership blames the President for the impasse on debt limit "negotiations" claiming he was not taking enough of a leadership role. This evokes an emotional response in Republicans. What is their response? It might go something like, "That sorry Obama! We can let him get away with it!"
What is the effect of this dysfunctional governing process? We are made to worry and fuss and fret and squirm and feel uneasy. "What's going to happen!?" "How will I keep a roof over my head and food on my table?"
And how about our career politicians? How about them? Do you think they suffer from the same anxiety and stresses they cause for us? Will their paychecks stop like your Social Security check might stop? The only thing they have to worry about is completing the calculus to ensure they maximize political gain or minimize political risk from the crisis. After all, they have to win their next election. And isn't that what matters most?
So, how do you feel? Do you think our political system empowers you or does it reduce your status to a mere pawn to be manipulated by career politicians so they can fulfill their self-serving interests?
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