In two separate pieces of political theatre in the past few days, we have been served up excellent examples of what causes us to distrust and dislike politicians and Washington, DC. If the politicians involved were able to step back from the blinding glare of their own narcissism, they might be able to see the foolishness of their behavior. Yet their life in a self created bubble apparently causes them to be oblivious to common sense and in some cases common decency.
In the first example, the leader of the opposition GOP forces suggested that the Republican minority might delay or impede the passage of a much needed stimulus package. Sen. John Boehner, in an act of political grandstanding, announced that his caucus was very concerned about the prospect of a projected “trillion dollar” national deficit as a result of a proposed stimulus. He complained that the price tag was so large that it would have to be “borne by future generations.”
Sen. Boehner did not, however, explain where this solicitude was hiding when he and his “Conservative” cohorts beat down every attempt [Democrat or GOP initiated] to restrain spending for the Iraq fiasco. Where was this concern when a multi-Billion dollar surplus was plundered by an incompetent administration and turned into a half-Trillion dollar deficit? The US Treasury was being looted by President Bush to pay for a military adventure and “phony war” while the Iraqi Treasury ran a multi-Billion dollar surplus. Boehner implicitly accused any dissenters as being unpatriotic and irresponsible for not backing the President. Meanwhile, the tab to be paid by present and future generations of taxpayers grew wildly.
Such public posturing and patent hypocrisy by so-called “Leaders” may be the reason why so many in the United States are turned off when the subject of public service comes up. Representatives like Boehner point out the inconsistency of the term, making it often appear an oxymoron. It would indeed be difficult to explain how Boehner’s position is in the interest of the public. It was nothing more than public grandstanding for self-aggrandizement, to show that he still considers himself a force to be reckoned with in Congress, despite the drubbing his party took in the polls and the disaster the country faces as a result of his cabal's failure of leadership.
More recently, former Illinois Attorney General Burris showed up at the inaugural of the new 111th Congress and was turned away because he lacked proper credential certification. This political theatre was intended to embarrass the new Democratic Congress in its refusal to seat a fellow Democrat. So Burris went outside and held separate press conferences posing as the badly treated stepchild and “victim” of unfair treatment.
Burris has been, up until now, a respected public servant and should have displayed more character. First, he knew full well that the Illinois Secretary of State had refused to certify his appointment to fill the seat vacated by President-Elect Obama. The reason is that the appointment was made by Gov. Blagojevich who is under investigation and impending indictment for attempting to sell the appointment for personal gain. No matter how qualified, the appointment of anyone by Blagojevich, is suspect and the person so appointed would fall under that shadow unless and until the matter is cleared up.
Second, knowing that the proper credentials were lacking, only an egotistical politician would choose to mar the historical event of the inauguration of the new Congress by drawing personal attention to a personal dispute that he knew could not be resolved. The Senate had previously informed him that he would not be seated that day. Greater character would have been shown by staying away and continuing to work with Senate leadership and the Illinois authorities to resolve the matter. There is no apparent evidence that Burris was involved in the scheming by Blagojevich. As a result, a formal process of inquiry would have cleared him and allowed the Senate to seat him free of any taint. Instead, Burris chose to act like a typical political clown and seek the spotlight to demand personal attention and to implicitly support the improper and corrupt behavior of Gov. Blagojevich. Such behavior can only lower public perception of Burris. It also might lower public opinion of politicians, if there were room for descent in the level of opinion the public now holds.
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