Katrina. Dum. NSA wiretapping, Dubai Ports, Iraq. Dum, dum. Scooter, former employees ripping White House policies and operations, inadequate investigations into Medicare complaints. Dum, dum, dum.
What you’re hearing are the drum beats of the 2006 mid-term election issues.
No matter what anyone anywhere tries to do, these issues have found purchase in the public psyche, which presents a challenge to the Executive Branch. How can it achieve its mission without becoming embroiled in political affairs? The answer, at least at Cabinet levels, is that it can’t.
Many are blaming White House mishandling for this mess; however, folks may soon begin questioning management within and throughout agencies. How could political appointees at the Deputy and Under Secretary levels fail to recognize and elevate a sensitive issue like Dubai Ports? How could their business acumen appear so woeful?
Might such failure on the seniors’ parts tar lower-level managers and staff? Why weren’t they standing and stomping on conference tables, forcing their bureaucratic betters to understand key matters like port security, emergency preparedness, etc?
It appears as though we’ve reach a tipping point in public discourse and government operations where the political and the practical have become blurred. I’m fearful that most of what happens henceforth will be defensive posturing guaranteed to ensure that little, if anything new or bold, will come out of government offices.
Note the confluence of the Executive and Legislatives branches when flexing constitutional muscles occurs. Look at the dynamics between policies and politics, regulations and recriminations. Consider the insidious implications.
Also observe how many news reports are based on staff reports (whistleblowing?). These are the best of times for public accountability and the worst of times for focusing on delivering needed services. Now our bureaucracies will hunker down and be afraid to breathe lest they be pilloried in the press. But that won’t work, because inaction will result in charges of nonfeasance.
It’s not looking particularly good for the citizenry’s getting its tax dollar’s worth of government goods and services. Of course, life in Washington is fickle. Something could happen tomorrow to back-burner all this, returning life to something akin to normality. However, the more the drum beat continues, and certain forces definitely want the music to play longer and louder so they can get they turn in the barrel in ’06, the more difficult it will be for the executive branch to function effectively.
One thing’s for sure. The next couple weeks will determine if these issues will form the foundation for the November elections or whether all branches of government can focus on doing the people’s business, without being confronted with endless distractions and questions.
What’d’ya think? Can we rise above all this?
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YETMO: “You’re Entitled To My Opinion,” A Balanced Point of View
Fred W. Apelquist, III, M.Ed.
Approximately 450 words.
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© March 13, 2006