Political paralysis

By Vince Orza

September 30, 2008 01:23 am

— America is at a crossroads. If we are to remain the world's super power we have to lead. Leadership requires action not endless political sparring.? Voters are fed up with republicans and democrats constantly bickering, battling and blaming each other. The president and congress are both deservedly held in low regard. America should not be about political parties it is about responsible, decisive, progress leadership that solves problems rather than casts blame.
Recent events on Wall Street have been exacerbated by Congress and or the administration's unwillingness or inability to see the big picture. We have known for several years that sloppy lending policies by banks and over borrowing by citizens was a time bomb.?? Americans have been on a careless spending spree for decades. You don't have to be a Harvard economist to know refinancing your home to pay your credit card bill is fool hardy. Borrowers and banks share the responsibility since both parties have lied to themselves and each other about ability to pay.
Thankfully Secretary Paulson, who was a Wall Street banker known for his decisive management style took charge. We don't know the cost of a federal bailout but we do know to continue fighting the financial fires one at a time was likely to lead to a financial tsunami. Irrespective of whether you like what he did, unlike Congress or the president... Paulson did something.?
So far our two presidential candidates have done little more than point out problems and blame each other or their parties for what's wrong in America. ?Obama and McCain are calling for reform.?Both want more oversight, additional regulation. The problem isn't lack of regulation it's poor enforcement?of out dated regulation and the inability of party leaders to come together to act on behalf of the good of America. When IndyMac Bank went under, both poltical parties were quick to cast blame. The FDIC had a non published list of more than 100 banks that were on their watch list... IndyMac was not one of them. Where was the oversight?
Political speeches are rich with criticism and generalities. Politicians pit men against women, blacks against whites, rich against poor, hawks against doves, rural against urban, the "left coast" vs. the east coast, muslims vs. Christians, pro-life vs. pro-choice and of course republicans against democrats.
One side always blames the other as though there is no middle ground, no sharing of responsibilities, blame or credit. The banking crisis has Obama, McCain and both parties calling for reforms by the people who created or de-formed the system?through neglect, cronyism or poor management.
The presidential campaign has been all about change (Obama) and experience (McCain). Both are meaningless generalities. Neither candidate has given any specifics about what they would do to get the nation back on the right track. Obama was blasted for his lack of foreign affairs experience so he selected Sen. Joe Biden who has well respected credentials in that area. They were Washington insiders (another generality) who republicans say?can't change the system. Republicans said Obama and Biden had no experience running anything... never mind McCain was guilty of the same crime.
Speaking of no foreign affairs experience, McCain selected Palin. Her off the cuff remarks about being able to see Russia from points in Alaska opened the door to ridicule. The GOP responded by heralding her "executive experience." The Dems were dumb enough to take the bait, criticizing her maternal skills. Women rightfully cried foul. It's not about gender. Male or female, the notion someone could spend a few years as mayor of a town of 7,000 and a year and half as governor of Alaska (claiming it's "the largest state in America" but only has 2 percent of the nation's population) is qualified to be vice president of the world's only super power is stupid. With that logic, being able to manage a Koolaid stand is executive experience enough to manage a Walmart.
However, the democrats always manage to give up the ball on the goal line. Somehow they lost control of the argument for "change." Republicans have been running America for nearly eight years and have now claimed to be agents of change. At a time when just over two in 10 Americans approve of the republican administration's handling of the war, economy or anything else, McCain and Palin are trying to convince America they are the party to turn things around because they are "mavericks." ?Embracing change or calling yourself a maverick is meaningless. America needs informed, balanced decisive leadership that understands and embraces compromise that ends the political paralysis.
The whole thing sounds like a bad television sitcom. A well respected old republican?war hero known and trusted around the world who has never been an executive is running for president and selects a totally unknown running mate who is a?woman with little executive experience from one of the smallest states in America who has no foreign policy experience and never really been out of the country. Then there's a young, charismatic and articulate relatively inexperienced African American democratic senator who has never run anything who selected an older, well known and internationally respected vice presidential running mate who has a reputation for putting his foot in his mouth when giving all to many and to long speeches who has also never run anything.
We'd likely never watch this program and it seems we are not happy about watching it now. Call me crazy but?in a country of 300?million Amerincans?shouldn't there be better choices?
Vince Orza is dean of the OCU Meinders School of Business.