YETMO

“It’s a Wrap! Fiscal Year 2006 Comes to a Close" (Week of September 25 – 29, 2006)

Was that a bang I heard or a whimper?

How do you judge the government’s performance this past Fiscal Year? This “Forum” focuses on Executive Branch operations, employees, and challenges, yet the Congress and Judiciary often siginificantly impact and inform its plans, actions, and reactions.

How do you view the dynamics of 2006? Was it the Year of the Executive (Branch)? Or did Congress assert itself as King of the Hill? Maybe the Judicial Branch courted the most attention and caused the greatest impact.

This year we raised and discussed a slew of issues. You may recall the May 19th “I’s Have It” column, where we highlighted the key issues of immigration, intelligence, and infighting. As the Fiscal Year ends, appropriations lapse, and politicians return to the campaign trail, many issues appear to be hanging fire. Although we focus on government operations at Understanding Government, we can’t examine that one branch of government without also understanding the workings of the other two.

It would be naïve, if not patently false, to presume that 2006 was somehow totally unique from all other recent years in our history. Some may try to make that case, and they could make a good one to a point, but it would revolve mostly on the highly-charged, and virtually politically-divided society in which we live. Watergate was no waltz in the park. Talk about a constitutional crisis.

How about Clinton’s impeachment? He was impeached, remember? Not convicted or removed, mind you, but he was impeached nevertheless. That’s not chopped liver. That’s big stuff.

So, let’s not tie ourselves up in knots unnecessarily and over-dramatize the domestic and governmental challenges we face. Yes, they are considerable. Yet, at the heart of all this angst lies our beliefs and philosophies. If we can take a deep breath, step out in courage a bit, and actually invite discourse, NOT discord, we may better understand each other.

As I see it, the problem isn’t that there is so much division today, which ultimately can affect how the government functions. The issue is that we all are not openly and genuinely listening and “understanding” the other side’s hopes and fears. Once understanding is achieved, we will have passed a significant milestone in our national debate. Disagreement will persist, of course, but that’s small potatoes compared with not honoring or recognizing the concerns of the other half of your fellow citizens.