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Way too much politics
Americans seeking leadership get showmanship
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Besieged by an energy crisis that is sending the cost of everything soaring, Americans are desperately seeking problem-solving leadership. But all they are getting is showmanship.
Out on the presidential campaign trail, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are performing like professional wrestlers. They are pounding the mat in feigned pain. Wailing about the other's dirty moves and proclaiming piety and purity — even while executing a similar stunt of their own.
Meanwhile, back in Washington, the Democrats and Republicans in charge of the company store that is Congress have performed a pathetic Capitol Kabuki.
Kabuki, as explained by Wikipedia, is a Japanese theater form sometimes translated as "the art of singing and dancing." But you already knew that, having watched the song and dance being given to us by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and their many Republican tormentors.
First, when McCain and Obama set out to talk about their ideas for easing the energy crisis, they drowned out their own messages by making silly attacks on their opponent.
McCain launched a TV ad linking Obama's celebrity stardom to two blond ladies who are best known for their body parts. Obama three times claimed President Bush and McCain want to make people afraid of him because his face doesn't look like the ones on the dollar bills. It was a gratuitous racial reference, and dead wrong.
Meanwhile, McCain and Obama traded attacks that the other had flip-flopped on some energy issues. That was accurate. Of course, each had explanations that the deteriorating crisis required new thinking.
Which brings us to offshore drilling for oil. McCain was against the federal government's mandating it in January. Now he's for it big-time, playing it up as a huge difference with Obama. What's more, Senate and House Republicans made offshore drilling their mantra — as if it would be key to ending our oil crisis.
That, of course, is ridiculous. Obama notes correctly that four-fifths of America's offshore areas that are suitable for drilling are already being drilled; Bush's Energy Department says that drilling in the final fifth today won't produce any new oil for seven years and it will only slightly affect gas prices at the pump 15 years from now.
Finally, McCain admitted offshore drilling would mainly be a "psychological" relief to Americans. But he kept on attacking Obama for it.
Obama, meanwhile, finally got to the point he should have been at from the outset — that he could accept offshore drilling as part of a comprehensive plan for alternative energy sources. We need to be exercising all options — which is what McCain now says. Obama also said this week that he now favors using oil from the U.S. strategic reserves to help lower oil prices — something he had opposed as recently as July 7.
On Capitol Hill, Republicans made Democratic leaders look inept — aided significantly by inept performances of Democrats Reid and Pelosi, who closed down the Congress without dealing with the energy crisis. Republicans then staged phony theatric protests to push offshore drilling as if it were a real solution. It was good TV gimmickry, which was all they cared about.
Senate Majority Leader Reid's laughable response was to urge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to meet him in Las Vegas for an energy summit. Vegas? Why not in Washington?
House Speaker Pelosi, meanwhile, went on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" and was absolutely incomprehensible when asked repeatedly to explain her position that seemed to be for recessing rather than allowing an up-or-down vote on offshore drilling.
Her best effort was to say the Republicans should use their imaginations. The next day, Republicans said they were imagining an effective House speaker allowing the up-and-down votes Pelosi once promised to permit. Ouch.
This much I know: If McCain and Obama were not running for president, they could meet in one of those little hideaway rooms in the Capitol.
And it would take them maybe one hour to come up with a compromise comprehensive energy plan that both parties could approve. And Americans would have some immediate relief and long-term energy security.
The real problem these sorry days is that there is too much of politics in our political process.
— Martin Schram writes for Scripps Howard News Service. E-mail him at martin.schram@gmail.com.
Posted by skercevicj on August 8, 2008 at 6:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that most of congress needs to be voted out by the people. It is the people that allow this assinine behavior to continue. Too many people do not care, are uninformed, uneducated in the issues that affect our country and our lives. Our governments are failing at all levels and have become dysfunctional at best. This includes Federal, State, Counties, and Cities. We the people need to snap out of it and start voting with researched and informed intelligent decisions on all canidates and issues. If we do not change our ways. This unprecedented demise of this nation will continue.
Posted by harlan on August 8, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If government is dysfunctional, it is because people in general are dysfunctional.
Posted by michael1 on August 8, 2008 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's the public's fault. Have you ever heard from people about why they are going to vote for someone? You'll get some sort of vague answer such as, "He's seems like a nice man". I've even heard, "He's a good looking man". With this kind of idiocy by the voting public, it a wonder we get candidates that are as good as they are. Go ask people why they are voting for someone? You'll be amazed.
Posted by del on August 8, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have met the enemy and they are us.
The government(s) of the people, by the people and supposedly, for the people, since the early 70s are to blame for the situation we are in.
You, me and every sad excuse of an uninformed, voting and (way to many) non-voting citizen, living over the last 35 years with our heads stuck up our backsides are to blame for not doing anything about changing our arrogant, gluttonous ways. That is, till we were kicked solidly in their wallets. Now the public is looking to blame someone. Heaven forbid we should look to our own stupidity and short-sightedness.
Posted by cassandra2 on August 8, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about media Kabuki?
Facing staggering crises in economic, financial, energy and environmental spheres, the media repeat silly non-issues about Obama's complexion or religious affiliation or celebrity status or McCain's age and lack of google savvey. Is Obama wearing a flag pin? Is Michelle too strident. Did McCain tell his captors too much while a prisoner decades ago (like who the bleep wouldn't?. What about them gays marrying?
We are facing TECAWKI (The end of civilzation as we know it) I just don't have worry space for this idiocy.
From both candidates we get more of the bankrupt ideas that brought us to this sorry pass--government controlled by corporate interests, continuing a technology suicidally dependent on oil, an overweening military budget, allegedly free trade, greater division between rich and everybody else, and advocacy of perpetual growth--the way of the lemming.
Why do the media follow the trivia trail instead of asking the hard questions? Hard for the mentally lame, questions that have the complexity of real life and require real information instead of shoot-from-the-hip Foxiness?
How about media taking responsibility for perpetuating the Kabuki?
Posted by Jacksprat on August 8, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WE need term limits on Congress. However it is a shame that a law is needed to do that because we can do it our selved. All we have to do is when we mark the ballot is never vote for someone who is all ready in office. But that will not happen because the public is like sheep, they see the person name on the ballot, really know nothing about that person, but they remember the name, so the vote for him.
The goverment has been trying to solve the energy problem since the first time some one realize that the black goo comming out of the ground could make them money. It still is going on and the congress like then is still in the hands of the oil producers. There have been some changes not as blantent as it was in the past but still happens. How come no one leaves an elected job in Congress broke. That has happened in the past but no more they all come out millionairs. So folks let get wise and not vote for the person who has the office now, vote for the other guy. Never mind party, they are all alike. Just vote them out, they are rich enought now.
Posted by del on August 8, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
By the Law-of-the-Land we should have a revolution every 4 years. Throw the bums out. But our society has become too complacent, lazy and apathetic. Term limits are the refuge of the lazy and stupid and will only make it easier for folks not to vote. Then smaller-local issues will be passed or not-passed by a majority-of-the-minority.
A citizen's right, responsibility and duty is to vote, regularly and with conviction. To do otherwise should be grounds for the charge treason.
Posted by sslocal on August 8, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Your right del. There should also be a mandatory 2 year military service by every person. No service, no citizenship. Upon completion of your service you take your rifle home and are required to stay proficient with it.
Posted by cassandra2 on August 8, 2008 at 2:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Right, the drain on our national economy by the military should be increased by increasing the military. Like, we aren't militaristic enough?
Maybe we can find a few more wars to fight. Let's see, where's the oil?
Given the dumbing down of the news in recent times, I'm just as happy people don't vote.
What should be treason is preventing qualified voters to do so--voter suppression, electronic voting fraud, deliberately undersupplying opposition precincts with equipment, purging voter registration lists illegally, and so on. Blackwell should be deported, ditto the Florida s of s whose name I have misplaced.
Diebold, Sequoia, and E and S should be sued for everything they have.
Posted by del on August 8, 2008 at 2:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is that "catch-22" in everyone voting. Not unlike the ZPG dilemma. Those intelligent enough to know they should not contribute to the problem are the ones who should contribute to the gene pool. Instead we get...a population of "Sheeple".
Posted by mikeb6804 on August 8, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good ol' Cassie --- still hates the military. Still hates America. I have yet to see a post of hers to make me think otherwise.
I agree with del --- the sad thing is there will probably never again be an electorate who will be involved enough to clean house when it's necessary.
Posted by cassandra2 on August 8, 2008 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I like that, Del-- sheeple.
There you go again, Mike. Neanderthal thinking. Any critique is a hate message. Love it or loathe it. False dichotomy 101. Deviation is treason.
You probably think Solzenitzen hated Russia.
The sheeple is in.
Posted by del on August 8, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I got "sheeple" from Vincent Bugliosi's latest book, "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder".
An excellent idea!!
Posted by MRSMYTH on August 8, 2008 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
B Hussein Obama is dead on right about one thing.
A lot of people don't like his face.
His wife won't win any beauty contests either.
Posted by mikeb6804 on August 8, 2008 at 6:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cassie -- I call 'em the way you (continually) state 'em. I'm still waiting for something positive from you.
Posted by MRSMYTH on August 8, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Does that cassandra2 run off at the mouth like this all the time?
Is there something wrong with cassandra2.
I have never read a comment that rambled on and said absolutly nothing like the comments cassandra2 posts
Amazing.
Posted by nelsonknows on August 9, 2008 at 11:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
cassandra, maybe if you posted something positive, something that didn't prove your Bush Derangement Syndrome, you might be taken more seriously and you DO come off like you loathe the military.
Cassandra, you are screaming about voter fraud yet 56 DEMOCRATS are, or have been in prison since 2000 for voter fraud, and more people voted in Maricopa County Arizona, than were registered to vote and a Democrat won that House seat.
Posted by nelsonknows on August 9, 2008 at 11:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cassandra, you should go to the Ventura County Courthouse on election day and witness just how many illegal aliens are voting, you'd be surprised, and you'd be surprised what an illegal alien can get with a matricula card and that people can register to vote online with no form of valid I.D.
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