After the debacle of Election Day, President Obama met with the press on Wednesday. He took a conciliatory stance by announcing he was prepared to talk to the GOP about extending the Bush tax cuts (welfare for the rich!). While some will say he adopted this approach because he realizes the tough road ahead and that both sides must come together to solve this nation's most persistent problems, my analysis is far more cynical.
Obama's chief concern is not about how to best broker a divide; it's all about 2012. The man wants to be re-elected to serve a second term. So, it makes sense to backtrack on one's supposed principles IF it means the creation of a tool to use on the campaign trail two years hence.
Obama is far from alone in this regard. In fact, it is the modus operandi of the elected in the American political system. If an elected official hopes to win re-election, every vote cast and every opinion stated too often is viewed not if it is best for the country, but will it serve the incumbent during the next campaign. This mentality often is just as true for an incumbent who has decided (for whatever reason) not to seek re-election. In those cases, the elected official wants to protect their legacy.
For me, this goes back to Lao Tzu's point of leading by following. The quality leader has no interest in being out in front -- leading the procession in resplendent glory. The good leader is interested in results and does not fall victim to the craven desire to be saluted, fawned over, feared, revered or worshiped.
Obviously, few, if any, of our elected leaders have paid much heed to the words of this Taoist sage. By and large, everything they do in office is about being seen out front. They want to be heralded and congratulated every stinking step of the way. Even worse, their decisions too often are predicated solely on what they believe will keep them out front and not on what benefits the citizens of their country.
It is this lack of genuine humility that is poisoning our nation. It is this lack of working for the COMMON good that has turned off so many voters.
In the next post of this miniseries, I will discuss Lao Tzu's concept of not competing in relation to the current political landscape.
Related posts: Part 1.
Obama's chief concern is not about how to best broker a divide; it's all about 2012. The man wants to be re-elected to serve a second term. So, it makes sense to backtrack on one's supposed principles IF it means the creation of a tool to use on the campaign trail two years hence.
Obama is far from alone in this regard. In fact, it is the modus operandi of the elected in the American political system. If an elected official hopes to win re-election, every vote cast and every opinion stated too often is viewed not if it is best for the country, but will it serve the incumbent during the next campaign. This mentality often is just as true for an incumbent who has decided (for whatever reason) not to seek re-election. In those cases, the elected official wants to protect their legacy.
For me, this goes back to Lao Tzu's point of leading by following. The quality leader has no interest in being out in front -- leading the procession in resplendent glory. The good leader is interested in results and does not fall victim to the craven desire to be saluted, fawned over, feared, revered or worshiped.
Obviously, few, if any, of our elected leaders have paid much heed to the words of this Taoist sage. By and large, everything they do in office is about being seen out front. They want to be heralded and congratulated every stinking step of the way. Even worse, their decisions too often are predicated solely on what they believe will keep them out front and not on what benefits the citizens of their country.
It is this lack of genuine humility that is poisoning our nation. It is this lack of working for the COMMON good that has turned off so many voters.
In the next post of this miniseries, I will discuss Lao Tzu's concept of not competing in relation to the current political landscape.
Related posts: Part 1.
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