The current political situation

I am now angrier at my government than I have been since the Vietnam War and more scared of my government than I've been since the Cuban Missile Crisis. (I guess this dates me!)

Why?

President Obama is pushing through some very major changes very quickly. Why this worries me is very involved, but I will try to keep this short.

(1) A democracy (used loosely to include our system of government) requires time for deliberation. The current administration is running a dromocracy, i.e., rule by speed. If you've never heard of this word, go here for a great explanation. Note particularly his notions regarding speed and power. No complex crisis--as opposed to simple crises like Hurricane Katrina--requires instantaneous reaction. The fiscal crisis that we are in is a complex crisis. Past history has shown that rapid responses to complex and rare crises often lead to the responses, in the long run, being worse than the crises themselves. Time is needed to deliberate on consequences. A full analysis is not needed nor should the deliberation go on forever--after all, we are talking about crisis. But voting on a massive spending bill without reading it is folly.

(2) There has been a lack of information on the rationale for the administration's actions. Bush made a lot of mistakes--big ones. But I always felt I knew why he was taking certain actions, even if I didn't agree with them, and much of the argument about Bush's actions centered around whether his rationale was correct (unless it was simply Bush-bashing, of course). This was also true of Clinton and, in fact, every president in my lifetime except maybe Nixon, whose disagreeable actions were often hidden and therefore not subject to discussion until found out. I have tried in vain to understand the rationale behind the push, behind some of the elements of the stimulus package (other than pork), and so on. And by rationale, I mean something deeper than arm-waving about creating millions of jobs. I mean how the actions taken will create those jobs. I want this to work, if only for the selfish reason that I've just seen my plans to retire in a few years go up in smoke.

Why has there been so little information? First, the administration has not exactly been forthcoming with details. Second, the media habit of coverage-by-soundbite does not lend itself to coverage of complex details even if they were offered. Third, I haven't noticed much effort on the part of the media, except possibly by FoxNews--at least they mention the lack of detail and some reporters have discussed efforts they've made.

What is one to conclude from this? A couple of thoughts come to mind: (a) The administration really doesn't have a clue what it is doing. The idea that Obama might be in over his head is not a new one nor has it been expressed solely by conservatives. (b) The media accept everything the administration on blind faith.

If this package really might not work (I believe it was Biden, representing Obama, who said it has only a 30% chance of working), then that is an unconscionable gamble with our nation's future. I do not believe that staying the course and letting things hammer themselves out would have been worse.

(3) Bereft of details, and not being one to accept things on blind faith, I am angry at the administration because I fear that they are leading this country to financial ruin. Yes, Bush overspent. But I just don't get why doubling or tripling the Bush deficit is a cure, nevermind a justification to spend even more. I've yet to read an article by an eonomist that explains how it can be a cure. Even economists who are avid supporters of Obama offer nothing concrete when lauding his plan. If the administration would just offer concrete responses to the criticisms of excellent (including some Nobel Prize-winning) economists, everyone would feel much better.

(4) I am scared because if things get as bad as both Obama and many economists keep saying, then everything I (and many others) have worked hard for is gone, thus rendering much of my life not only irrelevant but futile and, indeed, wrong-headed. That I should ever wish I had lived a life of dissipation and irresponsibility in order to get help from my government is, to me, the worst possible coda.

Good thing I'm an optimist at heart!