Following the baseball field shooting of Republican legislators, bi-partisan cries have gone out calling for an end to heated (often misguided and misinformed) rhetoric. “Enough”, cry some of the most practiced in the art of partisan politics. Does anyone really mean those words? Doubtful.
Why doubtful?
While those words calling for a return to civility were echoing through Congressional halls, Senate Republicans were huddling behind closed doors attempting to cobble together a healthcare plan which met the test of reducing healthcare coverage and still keeping a Republican majority to pass the bill. No public hearings, no open discussion, no Democrat input. Do you think that is bipartisan behavior?
Like climate change and the abdication of the Paris Agreement, or the pending “huge” tax cut for the wealthy, or the private sector infrastructure proposal designed to put money is special pockets, Republicans are stacking the deck with intentions favorable to a few, neutral to a few more, and dangerous to the many.
Criticism opposing legislation kept in secret is called heated rhetoric by some. One wonders why?
Special interests?
Our elected officials are called politicians for a reason. Congress members first must convince enough citizens in their districts to choose them over their opposition. Promises are usually part of the bargain and in that lies the seeds for the problems we see today.
Instead of advocating for rebuilding the infrastructure, it is preferred to call for tax cuts. Instead of warning about global warming and taken specific steps towards control, it is easier to question the science and play for time. Instead of calling for basic healthcare availability, it seems wiser to claim (falsely) that America is exceptional and has the world’s greatest healthcare system.
Heated rhetoric could be a “generation thing”. In other words, current public officials inherited a wealthy country have done little or nothing themselves to create national wealth. With no practical experience in what it takes to build a nation, it should not be a surprise that Congress members’ sphere of vision is simply themselves. The role of today is to survive and worry about the future tomorrow. Hmmm.
While there are plenty of examples to support this theory, there is also a more sinister hypothesis. Americans are people. People are by nature greedy. Politicians are people and therefore without adequate checks, are greedy too.
Share that realization with clever and also greedy wealthy citizens and in not too much time, politicians learn to promise one thing but do another (and what they do is what their financial backers want).
Heated rhetoric may simply be the natural end which occurs when politicians make one false claim after another, long enough. Explaining behavior which leads no where can only be done so long before citizens sense dishonesty or incompetence. Raising the tempo, going negative, and if necessary, using “dog whistles” of race, religious, or national origin helps mold the electorate into “we” and “them”. Hmmm.
IMO, Congress reflects middle and upper class American. Congress’ ineffectiveness and willingness to engage in “heated rhetoric” is what any of us would do if public life were our chosen field. Fortunately, most Americans do not seek public office and the power to change government lies in our hands.
Ask the simple question, “what is the problem awaiting a fix”?
The problem is not necessarily that the US is spending too much money as those who say “the Federal Government” is too large. Rather, if there is a problem, one must cite the problem first.
For example, Medicare is often cited as a major contributor to the growing federal debt. Why not collect more fees and taxes to eliminate the deficit? The problem, rather is not the spending amount, it is whether there a need for Medicare at all.
Once there is agreement on why some healthcare subsidy for those on fixed incomes is fair and warranted, then the discussion on how Medicare should be paid for should begin. The same applies to Medicaid, Social Security, and healthcare in general.
Each American can figure out whether the incumbent is interested in the problem or just some special interest outcome (like paying less in taxes). Term limits by voting the incumbent out of office is the fastest way to get Congress members’ attention and to begin to lessen this problem.
I bet, however, that “heated rhetoric” will rule the day until Americans use the ballot box to over come “dark money” and other special interests.
