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"POLITICS-AS-USUAL"
The
Shameful
Deception, Waste, and Cost
Associated
With
"Politics As Usual"
And
"Campaigns And Elections"
Subvert
Our
System
Of
Government!
BUT
CHANGE IS POSSIBLE!
Politics-As-Usual has become the normal mode of operating for many political candidates and elected and appointed officials.
It is a part of political campaigns and reflected in speeches and in the way politicians conduct themselves both in competing for the votes of the American People and then while representing the People after elected.
GCC defines "Politics-As-Usual" or "Partisan Politics" as follows:
A mode of operating that has become a "culture of deception, confusion, and cover" in which, too many politicians, elected officials, and advisors:
- Devote too much of their time on useless, wasteful, and costly political speeches, posturing, cover, and grandstanding not only during election periods, but also while conducting the work of the people and the nation!
- Mask and even twist the truth in political campaigns regarding their opponents, rather than "honestly defining themselves" and "what exactly they intend to do differently" to make the government focus on and work for the people and the nation in the most effective and efficient way!
- Make many promises to the people to gain their support - - promises for which they alone often have little or no intention or complete authority to carry out!
- Too often demonize their same-party opponents and, of course, the opposite party especially, but not only, in campaign mode
- Often become career politicians and eventually work chiefly on their own behalf and self-interests rather than for the benefit of the People and the Nation.
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Political Parties and their Advisors often employ Partisan Politics' Maneuvers in the process of conducting their campaigns and elections!
Even after elected to office,
Presidents,
their appointees,
and the
newly elected and current lawmakers
in the
Legislative Branch of Government
extensively employ
"Partisan Politics"
during the course of
conducting the nation's business,
when, in fact,
these elected officials and appointees
should be
focused on
honestly and effectively
conducting the work
of the people
and the nation!
It would certainly be a welcomed step
and, in fact,
appropriate and even necessary
for
Political Parties and their Candidates
to
respectfully present accurate comparisons and critiques of the positions of the other party and/or their candidates. |
Politics-As-Usual is enormously costly for American taxpayers from many respects.
For example, it is costly from the standpoints of the time spent in "campaign mode" -- and thus away from doing the important work of the American People -- to the manipulative, deceitful, and dishonest language that politicians use to gain the votes of the people who are often left puzzled and even misinformed as to the facts needed to help them decide on the candidate who is best qualified for the office they seek.
That
"Politics-As-Usual"
and
"Partisan Politics"
Are
Essential to the Political Process in America and Elsewhere
Is a Notion
That
GCC Believes
Needs to be Changed
NOW!
-
Politics-As-Usual is the source of so much of the ineffectiveness in government, and generates and even fosters so much of the inappropriate influence, waste, greed and corruption
-
Politics-As-Usual - - rather than the "Legitimate Needs of the People and the Nation" - - is what too often sets the agenda in Washington and in other levels of Government, and therefore, often dictates what, if, and how things get done
-
Politics-As-Usual causes division and dissension, and separates people by the political and ideological convictions of the major political parties rather than uniting them on factual content that better serves the American People and the Nation
-
Politics-As-Usual as generally practiced by the typical politician is manipulative and opportunistic, and more often than not obscures and distorts the facts in order to gain support for the position or point of view of a politician or political party
-
Politics-As-Usual is the reason that so much money is spent unnecessarily and wastefully on campaigns and elections – – money, from both public (taxpayer funds) and private sources that could be used for a better and far more effective system, at significantly less cost
- Politics-As-Usual and the extreme polarization it creates among the people is exactly what perpetuates everything that is bad about government by clouding the real issues and facts that lead to the election and re-election of officials who perpetuate the status quo!
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GCC divides "Politics-As-Usual" into two groups:
- This first group includes the "political activity" and related "partisanship" that is generated chiefly from the Executive and Legislative Branches of Government. These two Branches of Government produce most of the problems discussed in above, and is a topic treated extensively in GCC's Strategy for Government (found here).
- The second group includes the "political activity" related to campaigns and elections, a topic covered below.
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The "Politics-As-Usual" in Campaigns and Elections
The strongest argument for NOT removing the "politics-as-usual" from "campaigns and elections" has to do with the highly complex campaign and election process itself regulated by laws, customs, and, of course, "politics-as-usual" at every level (National, State, and local) of the campaign and election process.
So it involves a lot of people, a lot of laws, and a lot of "customary' ways of doing things. In addition, because "politics" is what distinguishes one political party from another, and one party's platform from another, and because "politics-as-usual' , unfortunately, is now so intertwined and so much a typical part of the political scene, many would insist that "politics-as-usual is here to stay".
HOWEVER, GCC believes otherwise!
Americans Should Know
All Too Well
What
"POLITICS-AS-USUAL"
And
"Partisan Politics"
Have Wreaked On Today's
System Of Government
AND
On
The
People And Nation
It Serves!
Simply stated,
It Slows Down
Government
And Often
Brings To A Standstill
Important Work
That Otherwise
Could Be Accomplished
On Behalf Of
The American People
And
The Nation!
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Given the reality of the above, let's briefly examine the following important questions:
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Is it really possible to have campaigns and elections without the "politics-as-usual" and the "utter foolishness and outrageous mudslinging and character assassination on display, for example, during the 2015-2016 Primary Debates?
-
Does the current system of campaigns and elections, with all of its costs and complexities, produce the best candidates for America?
- Is a better, more effective, and less costly system possible?
GCC believes that, not only would it be possible to conduct campaigns and elections and the related TV Debates without the "nonsense" and "politics-as-usual", but also, in so doing, it could result in:
-
Better choices of candidates and thus more opportunities for better government from candidates who would feel less obligated to a party, but could instead be personally committed to principally working for what is best for the American people and the Nation
-
More "effective" exposure of the candidates, and an extremely better understanding, by the voting public, of the position of each of the candidates without the mudslinging and partisan politics clouding the issues
-
Less chances of irregularities and corruption that partisan politics often engenders
- Cost-savings of monumental proportions through the revamping and streamlining of the current complex "system" of "campaigns and elections" that among other improvements would include sensible, no-nonsense standardization that, not only would generate dramatic improvements in efficiencies, effectiveness, accountability, and costs, but also put government, at all levels, back on track to begin working directly for the People and the Nation rather than for the self-interests, and pet projects of the elected officials themselves and others, both inside and outside the government, who profit unfairly, and at times, even criminally, at the expense of the American people.
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So, there are solutions that can bring about the necessary change and improvements in the complicated campaign and election process -- change and improvements that could result in a markedly more effective and economical process in which the American People and the Nation would benefit!
While "politics-as-usual" in government, and in campaigns, and elections may appear to be a necessary (and even entertaining) part of life in America, it is, to the contrary, actually detrimental and abounding with corruption embedded in the political and government systems that much too often serve the wants and needs of those who exploit the system for their own gains, at the expense of the American People and the Nation!
Conclusion
In the end - - and apart from the waste, corruption, and politics that are so much a part of the campaign and election systems - - the current systems have NOT always been that reliable in producing The Best and Most Qualified Candidates for the highest office in the Executive Branch (i.e., The Presidency), OR for Congress and their Leaders.
Today, Candidates are needed who are able and/or willing to provide, NOT the same old "partisan politics", "wasteful spending" and "gridlock" of the past, BUT RATHER "Leadership With Integrity" and a "Work Ethic" for Achieving The Very Best For The People In America And For The Nation and Its Security!
GCC's Unique
No-Nonsense, No-Spin
Leadership Strategies
Can Put
Government
On The Right Track
To Finally Achieve The
The Breakthroughs Necessary For Securing,
For The American People
And
The Nation,
REAL SUSTAINABLE CHANGE
In The Way
Government Operates
That Will Benefit
The American People
And
The Nation!
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