Topic of the Week: D.C. dysfunction

2 thoughts on “Topic of the Week: D.C. dysfunction”

1. I wanted to just say “yes” and be done with it.

   But then I realized your commentNazi would reject that as too short.
   Okay so, no it’s not broken. It has morphed. Willfully and intentionally. It has been changed from whatever level of actual democracy it once was (and corruption and BS have always been in there I’m sure) to a behemoth money-making political-enterprise system.

   I don’t believe these people (politicians) have the least intention of solving problems or governing in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Not the least. I mean that most sincerely.
   They are like bad students who strike a pose that will enable them too immediately LOOK like they are working if the teacher glances their way, but of course after those few seconds of “had to” work, they stop.

   The recent report from the Wi Dem Campaign proves (for the billionth time) that it’s all a money-making (money-spending) side show.
   Look at the money being spent during these Days Of Austerity, and not just in this recall situation, but in ALL the states by ALL the PACs and lobbyists and pundits and strategists. That’s a lot of dough.
   Our economy is based on war-making and political bullshit-making. The worse we (citizens) do the better they (politicians) do. That includes the Democrats. The “boots n the ground” types are probably sincere, or on to working their way up, but the higher level politicians today – 100% crap. It’s the one explanation that makes everything make sense.

   There is NO money for SO many things, yet, cash is poured gleefully and eagerly into the political toilet. There’s only one thing you can conclude from that –
   The system is not broken, it has changed, it is not what we SAY it is (democracy/government) and, it is a finely balanced HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL creation. It is virtually self-sustaining – the bigger it gets the bigger it gets. The worse the participants do at what used to be known as “governing” the more people are drawn into it because more people’s lives are adversely effected, the bigger the show, the bigger the audience.
   Actual problem solving would be a detriment for these Circus people.
   Do I really think it’s that bad? Yes I really do.

   And I think this is at the root of why, even if you adore Russ Feingold, you have at the pit of your stomach this unshakable sensation that he is somehow irrelevant now. That makes no sense using the thinking and values of the “old Model”. Russ would be on the threshold of being a senior statesman. Suddenly, he just seems to not fit at all. The world morphed around him and he didn’t turn into one of those pod people.
   Obama fits in okay because like Reagan , he is a shell, an actor of sorts, playing a role. Embodying THIS today, THAT tomorrow. Whatever the PACs and pundits and strategists and other stage directors call for.
   It’s SO BAD that people can openly refer to “manufactured crisis”, discuss the nature and history of the manufactured crisis and yet it is not diminished in the least way. It’s Old-fashioned to think that a cry of BULLSHIT will have any negative effects. In the inverse universe bullshit is King. I think the person who said (supposedly) “it takes balls to execute an innocent man” embodies the value system of the Bullshit culture. Up is down, bad is good.

   Normally in human behavior if you say “he’s a faker” or if there is any kind of “unmasking” that revelation takes the wind out of the sails of whatever the thing is.
   Like oh i dunno, a girl who stuff socks in her bra. once you know they’re not real Hooties but are just her brother’s gym socks socks maybe she loses some status. That would still be a normal reaction on an interpersonal level. But culturally and as a society i think the rules have changed, and changed a lot.
   We all know we’re looking at giant sock-filled Bras when we look at Washington, but we keep on staring in fascination at them, and they all just keep buying bigger bras and more tube socks….
   …and sending us the bill.

2. No more “dysfunctional” than in the past. A deal was reached. I would say it was broken and dsyfunctional if no deal was reached. Now whether it’s a good deal, we shall see. Like most compromises in Washington, it’s often the worst of both worlds.

   Washington is only a reflection of America, so in that sense we might say that America is broken. Recent polls show that something like 65% want the debt reduced. In equal numbers they also say they want no cuts to programs and do not want tax increases. Um… ok… something has to give. With feedback like that, what are our politicans supposed to do?

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