Going on three weeks, President Obama defends the American Jobs Act, and Congress continues to not pass it. The President offers a fair point: if members of Congress have a problem with the legislation, they should present an alternative, or perhaps revisions. Instead, all parties are talking to the media, referring vaguely to the bill's shortcomings, and, apparently, ignoring each other.
It's not at all surprising that Republicans do not want to pass the bill precisely as written. And though he made a show of demanding immediate passage, President Obama has invited Republicans to present their preferred changes. Some Democrats have expressed concern with the bill, and they, too, have the power to offer a revised version. What is stopping them?
Maybe, the problem is that most of these candidates travel to their home districts every weekend to appear at community events. Why do they do this? What if they did this every other weekend? They could spend the balance of their time in Washington negotiating a jobs plan. It's nice to see your Congressman at the county fair, but would you rather have a job?
Some suspect that Republicans are holding up this bill in order to make the President look stupid and inept. This would increase their chances of reelection, so goes conventional theory. But with their approval rating astonishingly low, Congressional incumbents surely realize that their jobs are at stake, regardless of party, if they continue to bicker. Why don't they do their jobs?
There is so much at stake, and yet, our national decision-makers are lodged inextricably in a system that breeds and rewards inefficiency. Must this be?
Here's one idea to kick around: if politicians were disconnected from their constituents as in the days before electricity, they might be more inclined to do their jobs. Rather than tweeting, they might converse. Floor speeches would no longer serve the express purpose of clogging C-SPAN and cable with sound bytes. Rather, Congressmen would take to the floor to address their colleagues. Without bloggers to parse every word, they could speak freely. Perhaps their ideologies would grow and wiggle. Not so today.
The past is gone, but lessons can be learned from earlier imperfect times. The fact is, in the present environment, time spent by politicians addressing the media is time wasted. There is nothing to hear. They will say what they've been told to say, and what they've already said repeatedly.
Members of Congress need to be locked in a room and told that they will have no photo ops, no time to spend with campaign donors, until they have negotiated a revision of the American Jobs Act. It would be only fair.
It's not at all surprising that Republicans do not want to pass the bill precisely as written. And though he made a show of demanding immediate passage, President Obama has invited Republicans to present their preferred changes. Some Democrats have expressed concern with the bill, and they, too, have the power to offer a revised version. What is stopping them?
Maybe, the problem is that most of these candidates travel to their home districts every weekend to appear at community events. Why do they do this? What if they did this every other weekend? They could spend the balance of their time in Washington negotiating a jobs plan. It's nice to see your Congressman at the county fair, but would you rather have a job?
Some suspect that Republicans are holding up this bill in order to make the President look stupid and inept. This would increase their chances of reelection, so goes conventional theory. But with their approval rating astonishingly low, Congressional incumbents surely realize that their jobs are at stake, regardless of party, if they continue to bicker. Why don't they do their jobs?
There is so much at stake, and yet, our national decision-makers are lodged inextricably in a system that breeds and rewards inefficiency. Must this be?
Here's one idea to kick around: if politicians were disconnected from their constituents as in the days before electricity, they might be more inclined to do their jobs. Rather than tweeting, they might converse. Floor speeches would no longer serve the express purpose of clogging C-SPAN and cable with sound bytes. Rather, Congressmen would take to the floor to address their colleagues. Without bloggers to parse every word, they could speak freely. Perhaps their ideologies would grow and wiggle. Not so today.
The past is gone, but lessons can be learned from earlier imperfect times. The fact is, in the present environment, time spent by politicians addressing the media is time wasted. There is nothing to hear. They will say what they've been told to say, and what they've already said repeatedly.
Members of Congress need to be locked in a room and told that they will have no photo ops, no time to spend with campaign donors, until they have negotiated a revision of the American Jobs Act. It would be only fair.
Unfortunately, with 24+! hour "news" coverage, late night "news" shows, comedy "news" shows, the media needs to be fed daily and constantly! Like a bird, the media needs to feed all day. It's a job! The material is valuable and the media market is competitive.There is money to be made.
ReplyDeleteAnd this situation feeds a typical politician's ego. They think it's about them. It's not! Politicians in USA have become the cast for our live entertainment (reality news), and they ARE creating jobs, but not the jobs we need. Those who feed into the glory of the spotlight are attracted to congress and this is a problem. If they save 20% of their time working for the people and getting the job done in a timely manner, it's slow politics at best.
What can we do? We can find some solace in feeling President Obama's sensible and youthful impatience, and we can laugh with Jon Stewart for temporary relief. Change is seeping in, just as slowly as negotiations in Congress are proceeding. And those most opposed to change, are the last to notice.