Sad but true:
People regularly lament the supposed decline in American political discourse and the rise of rabid [4] partisanship, just as parents mourn the demise of good music and affordable seats at a ballgame. In the case of politics, that pessimism has ignores a rich American history of scurrilous personal attacks, party-conducted corruption, and political extremism that would curl eyebrows if conducted today. A brief look at the presidential election of 1800s [5], for instance, would cure the pessimists in short order.
No, the real scandal and decline of politics in this era isn’t an increase of rabid partisanship, mudslinging, or corruption, but incompetence. After watching both Republicans and Democrats fumble away slam dunks in public relations opportunities, I’m left with Casey Stengel’s timeless question: “Can’t anyone here play this game?”
And the failure to win the public relations battle is even more striking when you consider how many foulups each side is creating that the other side could take advantage of.
Related: This tweet from Radley Balko at Reason magazine: "The last two weeks are a mighty powerful argument for giving politicians as little control over our lives as we possibly can."
No, the real scandal and decline of politics in this era isn’t an increase of rabid partisanship, mudslinging, or corruption, but incompetence. After watching both Republicans and Democrats fumble away slam dunks in public relations opportunities, I’m left with Casey Stengel’s timeless question: “Can’t anyone here play this game?” - See more at: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2013/10/03/Why-Congress-and-Obama-Are-Incompetent-Amateurs#sthash.oA1nX8cz.dpuf
No, the real scandal and decline of politics in this era isn’t an increase of rabid partisanship, mudslinging, or corruption, but incompetence. After watching both Republicans and Democrats fumble away slam dunks in public relations opportunities, I’m left with Casey Stengel’s timeless question: “Can’t anyone here play this game?” - See more at: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2013/10/03/Why-Congress-and-Obama-Are-Incompetent-Amateurs#sthash.oA1nX8cz.dpuf
No, the real scandal and decline of politics in this era isn’t an increase of rabid partisanship, mudslinging, or corruption, but incompetence. After watching both Republicans and Democrats fumble away slam dunks in public relations opportunities, I’m left with Casey Stengel’s timeless question: “Can’t anyone here play this game?” - See more at: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2013/10/03/Why-Congress-and-Obama-Are-Incompetent-Amateurs#sthash.oA1nX8cz.dpuf
No, the real scandal and decline of politics in this era isn’t an increase of rabid partisanship, mudslinging, or corruption, but incompetence. After watching both Republicans and Democrats fumble away slam dunks in public relations opportunities, I’m left with Casey Stengel’s timeless question: “Can’t anyone here play this game?” - See more at: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2013/10/03/Why-Congress-and-Obama-Are-Incompetent-Amateurs#sthash.oA1nX8cz.dpuf
just as parents mourn the demise of good music and affordable seats at a ballgame. In the case of politics, that pessimism has ignores a rich American history of scurrilous personal attacks, party-conducted corruption, and political extremism that would curl eyebrows if conducted today. A brief look at the
presidential election of 1800s, for instance, would cure the pessimists in short order. - See more at: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2013/10/03/Why-Congress-and-Obama-Are-Incompetent-Amateurs#sthash.oA1nX8cz.dpuf
just as parents mourn the demise of good music and affordable seats at a ballgame. In the case of politics, that pessimism has ignores a rich American history of scurrilous personal attacks, party-conducted corruption, and political extremism that would curl eyebrows if conducted today. A brief look at the
presidential election of 1800s, for instance, would cure the pessimists in short order. - See more at: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2013/10/03/Why-Congress-and-Obama-Are-Incompetent-Amateurs#sthash.oA1nX8cz.dpuf
just as parents mourn the demise of good music and affordable seats at a ballgame. In the case of politics, that pessimism has ignores a rich American history of scurrilous personal attacks, party-conducted corruption, and political extremism that would curl eyebrows if conducted today. A brief look at the
presidential election of 1800s, for instance, would cure the pessimists in short order. - See more at: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2013/10/03/Why-Congress-and-Obama-Are-Incompetent-Amateurs#sthash.oA1nX8cz.dpuf
