YETMO

”How Political Are We?" (Week of October 16 - 20, 2006)

This week’s article was inspired by one from David Ignatius that appeared earlier this week in The Washington Post.

I supposed I am, like David, old school-ish. I presume I’d be in the Old Media, if I were an official member of the media. The current slash and crash attitude in politics, which David dubs as New Media, seems insidious, insulting, and counter productive to me – and him.

Normally, I try to stay away for politics in “The Forum,” as our goal is to focus on effective government operations and not the political wrangling that often affects and defines how government – the Executive Branch – functions and in which areas it will apply its resources.

Poisonous partisanship has gotten us nowhere in our current political arena. I suspect it will have the same effect – if we allow it -- on our quest to better understand government through open, balanced, and reasoned discourse.

For the most part, such high-level political dealings in the Executive Branch occur well above the average working-level employee. That’s good. As Americans and members of a mature, though still developing, democracy, we depend upon the integrity of the civil service to provide needed government services to everyone regardless of anyone’s political leanings.

Yet, Mr. Ignatius’s column makes one think how much of the “new,” vicious political mindset may infiltrate certain levels of the government and how that might affect the type of government operations we’ve come to expect and enjoy.

Some positions could become infected and affect the operational effectiveness of the Executive Branch. Political appointees below the cabinet level could play pivotal roles in this dynamic. Folks in some “capital P” political positions such as Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Assistants to Secretaries or Deputy Secretaries could certainly grapple with some “small p” political highly influential, powerful, and long-tenured Civil Service executives within the various government departments, bureaus, and offices.

Such “risks” have existed for many years. I’ve seen some office politics, which may have been “capital P” politically-motivated. None ever reached Ricther Scale proportions. The business of government generally continued, although delays and recriminations usually resulted. We seem to be no worse for the wear, though how many people ever learn about the true costs and effects of office infighting?

Given today’s growing hostile politic atmosphere, the conditions may be more conducive now to the destructive behaviors raised in David’s article. Only time will time.

I can hope that internecine battles, which could cripple key government programs and operations, won’t occur. But I – and especially YOU – can do quite more than hope.

We can use resources like this “Forum” to share information about any debilitating developments that may arise, and we can arrest them. Or at least try.

In a little over two weeks, an important mid-term election will be history, but it will also lay the foundation for our future. How much change will result from the election? How will that be reflected in government programs? How quickly will it take to materialize? All these questions will be asked here at “The Forum.”

We hope that you – our gentle readers – will help provide the answers.