The Public's Information Deficit

The answer to a recent question "who elects these idiots" is, unfortunately, a lot of misinformed, under-informed and willingly misled voters who opt for shtick over substance and who often get their marching orders from people like Rush Limbaugh. The question was prompted by Arizona Senator Kyl's claim that Obama used "dangerous words" when he said our economic crisis could become a "national catastrophe."

Kyl probably didn't accuse Condoleezza Rice of using "dangerous words" when she talked about "the smoking gun that could become a mushroom cloud" in the run-up to the Iraq war. The use of language and standards is ever-changing in the world of politics - - whatever makes an immediate partisan point being the only requirement. However, Obama's "words" as the economy continues to falter, are far more defensible than the mushroom cloud reference that struck fear into the hearts of so many Americans.

The floor debates in the Senate provided an opportunity for politicians to demonstrate how dense they can be. When Senator Jim Bunning, whose time as a Major League pitcher was surely more illustrious than his political career, read prepared remarks the other day he appeared to have no idea what the words meant. It wasn't just that he stumbled over concepts and pronunciations; he had the stunned look of someone who hadn't absorbed the essence of his remarks. Perhaps that's just his way, but it was painful to watch him. More unsettling it is reported that he received thousands of calls from constituents supporting Republican opposition to the stimulus package.

And on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough, a Republican member of the House before his TV gig, acts as if his time in Congress makes his views especially insightful.  Sidekick, Mika Brezezinski, occasionally disagrees. But, recently, as she was making a perfectly valid observation, he stopped her and said "I'm not going to let you say that" as if only he had the correct take on the matter at hand. Television and the internet often provide these little windows into the mindset of the people who pass our laws and decide our fate - - disturbing examples of how information-light many of them are and how they exemplify the line: "My mind's made up, don't confuse me with the facts."

In recent days, several Obama nominees have been withdrawn over the issue of unpaid back taxes. And Republicans are now tying up the Hilda Solis nomination for Labor Secretary on the grounds that her husband had a tax lien on his business - - since paid. In reality it seems more the case that conservatives don't like her views on unions and are using her husband's situation as an excuse to postpone her hearing. Always quick with the one-liners, a Republican politician cracked that the reason Democrats don't mind raising taxes is that they never pay them - - ho, ho, but they aren't the only ones.

During the campaign, John McCain couldn't recall how many houses he and Cindy own one of which - - a condo in La Jolla - - owes four years back real-estate taxes. And in the past, McCain took trips on a private jet from his pal, Charles Keating. When that came to light during congressional investigations surrounding the Lincoln Savings and Loan scandal, McCain paid what was deemed an appropriate amount for the flights and was only slightly tainted by his association with a crook.

Perhaps politicians who ascribe bad behavior to opponents are just ‘transferring' their own failings. The inability of congressional Republicans to stick to facts instead of playing partisan games is both tiresome and indeed destructive of the political process. For weeks now Republicans have been insisting that comments out of the Congressional Budget Office support their point of view although the report they cite dealt with just a portion of what was being called a stimulus bill. But in his Chicago Tribune column, 2/8/09, Clarence Page notes that economists like CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf say that all government spending in the recovery package "provides some stimulative effect."

It is often harder to deflect a lie than to assert the truth. Republicans have been playing to the anger on Main Street, but that anger is misplaced if it erodes trust in government programs designed to seek economic equilibrium and achieve financial security for individuals. Republicans continue to pretend they have an answer to something that began during an administration they supported. But one thing is certain; taking no action is not an answer to the country's financial woes. President Obama and Democrats need to do a better job of informing the public and making the case for the specifics of their recovery plan.