I just turned off the television after I heard the lead-in to the news program about to start this Sunday morning. The 'voice over' touted the guests as Democratic Governor of Vermont, Tim Kaine VERSUS RNC Chairman Michael Steele.
Forget the fact that the two will admittedly be squaring off against each other with views that are diametrically opposed the statement that it's one VS. the other is what gets me.
When did our leaders decide that it was better to seek the farthest corner of the ring and come out fighting every time they got together?
In the business world great companies need more than yes men to keep them moving forward. Not everything is an argument but discussions are better when all sides are examined. A good working conclusion is then made up from the aggregate of ideas.
But by the same token the yes men are necessary to move the final decisions ahead once the course is agreed upon. It is when that final course is not found that the company flounders.
And that is what has happened in Washington. Congress is floundering under the weight of an all powerful partisanship and a pervasive 'WE VERSUS THEY' mentality.
Continuing to act like boxing matches politics has turned into the pugilistic sport of verbal jabs and take downs.
This week it was revealed that Harry Reid used the word Negro in a speech from over a year ago. In this day and age it was a mistake but the furor it has unleashed is more interesting.
The Republicans and their spokesman Steele immediately seized upon this unfortunate utterance to further disrupt any chance of governance from the current administration.
One might think that Michael Steele was upset by Mr. Reid's use of the now politically incorrect word but I believe he was so elated at the chance to look outraged that he almost wet his pants.
Realizing the mistake made so long ago Harry Reid called the President and apologized and Mr. Obama accepted. He understood where the words came from and that the intent was not to demean an entire group of people but rather explain an under the surface emotion unfortunately shared across the country by many Americans - right or wrong.
But the episode once again sets DC politics off course. The Republican and Conservative minorities seeking only to disrupt cannot help but jab at Mr. Reid and take the conversation away from the issues of the day.
Their mission is not to get affordable health care for all American citizens; or to fix the broken financial structure of the country; or even to worry about the future of the climate and how it might affect our very existence. Their mission is to punch and jab and send a powerful uppercut into the Democratic Party's gut laying them out for the count so that they can once again be crowned victor.
But the fight between the parties will not end there. The Democrats who seem to have come late to the ring do finally realize it is a battle. It is a sport whose Holy Grail is the crown!
The Presidency and control of the two houses of Congress is the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup of politics all rolled into one.
At the moment the Republican Party is the underdog but don't count them out. They have weathered scandal after scandal yet still stand and point their collective fingers at the other guys. The Democrats don't yet have the mentality to come in for the kill like their opponents do.
After all which is worse, using the word 'Negro' in a speech or disappearing from your spouse and constituents to hike the Appalachian Trail in South America? Having the audacity to try and wrench control of health care away from the greedy all-powerful blood-sucking insurance companies or insinuating that Obama wants to kill your grandma?!?
Clearly politics is a prize fight. Unfortunately the prize is out future and we lose no matter which side wins.
2 comments:
To solve this, we don't need to consider specifics, but we need to look across the "pond" to our mother country (UK). Or perhaps the Land of Israel. There, the answer to these impasses where there is a plurality election instead of a majority coupled with national crisis. There, coalition governments are formed which makes both sides accountable, instead of finger pointing. This gives rise to leaders such as Churchill, Rabin and others. A person that has the respect of everyone and may be above politics. Like a soldier, perhaps (eg Powell) who quit rather than go to a war he saw no reason for.
Idealistic as well as simplistic! I wish we could get there. But it will not happen in this country, at least not in my lifetime as the owners of the country will never allow control to be wrenched from their grubby greedy fingers.
But let's try! Get a referendum on the next ballot and we'll put it to a vote.
But the problem is that no-brainers no longer have a chance in America.
In order to repair the house that is America we must first repair the entrance. Unfortunately the entrance only gets you into the lobby.
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