Post by audreyba112 on Dec 4, 2012 21:55:48 GMT -5
The current political climate is one that many Americans find frustrating, concerning and disheartening. Since 1999 the percent difference between the Democrats and Republicans on forty-eight values has risen from eleven percent to eighteen percent- a startling amount. The problem isn’t simply that they have different views, however, it is that the Democrats and Republicans by and large refuse to cooperate with one another in a time where the country really needs them to as it approaches the fiscal cliff. Each political party has created a consensus with its own specific rhetoric to which every one of its members must adhere. While on a smaller scale this should be expected and even encouraged to create a diverse political atmosphere, there reaches a point in politics where the parties need to either compromise or put their beliefs to the side altogether in order to make decisions that affect the well being of the whole country. The ability to compromise has been all but lost as the Democrats and Republicans are as polarized as they have ever been. The political parties have each formed a consensus, forcing its members to speak only its specific rhetoric and therefore preventing any type of cooperation amidst a nation that is being pushed to the edge.
By nature, a consensus does not allow for individual thought and expression. Politically, a person might be moderate in his own head, however due to pressure from the consensus of his party, this person feels inclined to sympathize with all the views of his party if he would like to retain his political career and reputation. A notable example of this is Mitt Romney’s actions in the recent presidential election. He was opposed to the President’s healthcare plan, yet his own plan implemented in Massachusetts as governor was fundamentally the same. Romney has been criticized for changing his mind about this and other topics such as gun control and women’s rights for seemingly no apparent reason other than to please the GOP, who might not have supported him had he not done so. This is self-preservation at its finest and is something that is key in allowing a consensus to persist. Political leaders’ worst nightmare is losing the support of their party because it puts both themselves personally and their careers in jeopardy. Conforming to the rhetoric of consensus makes sure that does not happen. When political leaders are willing to change their own views simply to please their party, they step that much further away from the realm of compromise.
With the fiscal cliff looming over the country’s head, bipartisanship is needed now more than ever. Large-scale decisions need to be made regarding this encroaching precipice which, unresolved, will lead to tax increases and budget cuts all at once, potentially throwing the country back into a recession. Now more than ever are the parties divided and governed by their consensuses, delaying and preventing decisions from being made because no one can come to an agreement. This is something that most Americans are sick of and why many people were impressed with the rare display from New Jersey Republican Governor Christ Christie when praising President Obama after the recent hurricane. Too much of this straying from the rhetoric, however, can lead to grief from one’s party such as in Christie’s case, or even one’s political downfall. Ironically, straying from the rhetoric and trying to work together is the one thing the country needs right now to avoid taking a tumble.
Word Count: 590
Works Consulted:
Cillizza, Chris. "Partisanship Doesn't Seem Worse. It Is Worse." The Washington Post. N.p., 6 Oct. 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/partisanship-doesnt-seem-worse-it-is-worse/2012/06/04/gJQAJIuzDV_blog.html>.
"The Fiscal Cliff: What if negotiations fail?" The Week 7 Dec. 2012: 6. Print.
By nature, a consensus does not allow for individual thought and expression. Politically, a person might be moderate in his own head, however due to pressure from the consensus of his party, this person feels inclined to sympathize with all the views of his party if he would like to retain his political career and reputation. A notable example of this is Mitt Romney’s actions in the recent presidential election. He was opposed to the President’s healthcare plan, yet his own plan implemented in Massachusetts as governor was fundamentally the same. Romney has been criticized for changing his mind about this and other topics such as gun control and women’s rights for seemingly no apparent reason other than to please the GOP, who might not have supported him had he not done so. This is self-preservation at its finest and is something that is key in allowing a consensus to persist. Political leaders’ worst nightmare is losing the support of their party because it puts both themselves personally and their careers in jeopardy. Conforming to the rhetoric of consensus makes sure that does not happen. When political leaders are willing to change their own views simply to please their party, they step that much further away from the realm of compromise.
With the fiscal cliff looming over the country’s head, bipartisanship is needed now more than ever. Large-scale decisions need to be made regarding this encroaching precipice which, unresolved, will lead to tax increases and budget cuts all at once, potentially throwing the country back into a recession. Now more than ever are the parties divided and governed by their consensuses, delaying and preventing decisions from being made because no one can come to an agreement. This is something that most Americans are sick of and why many people were impressed with the rare display from New Jersey Republican Governor Christ Christie when praising President Obama after the recent hurricane. Too much of this straying from the rhetoric, however, can lead to grief from one’s party such as in Christie’s case, or even one’s political downfall. Ironically, straying from the rhetoric and trying to work together is the one thing the country needs right now to avoid taking a tumble.
Word Count: 590
Works Consulted:
Cillizza, Chris. "Partisanship Doesn't Seem Worse. It Is Worse." The Washington Post. N.p., 6 Oct. 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/partisanship-doesnt-seem-worse-it-is-worse/2012/06/04/gJQAJIuzDV_blog.html>.
"The Fiscal Cliff: What if negotiations fail?" The Week 7 Dec. 2012: 6. Print.