What Is Politics?

According to President Bush, politics is something that people do when they don’t agree with him. Such as filibustering judicial nominees, blocking appointees to the UN, or actually just making Bush answer for his mistakes and flip-flops. If calling for the president to answer for his actions is political, then so be it. To me, that falls in line with Bush’s “ownership society.” Though, I would bet most neocons and admirers of Bush would disagree with that statement.

Politics is essentially who gets what, when and where. Sure it’s the process of decision making for groups, but it is more than a process, it is the outcome as well. If politics is deemed as merely disagreement, then the 48% of Americans that voted against Bush are playing politics with “the people’s business.” If, then, politics is disagreement, according to Bush’s recent job approval ratings, the majority of Americans (some would say a mandate) are politically hampering Bush’s second term. Is that really the characteristic Bush wants to give off? I'll leave that out there for anyone to use.

Politics has a funny way of never changing. For almost a decade, Republicans led by the neocons played politics with everything related to Clinton. Now all of a sudden it is unholy, “against people of faith” to question, much less disagree, with anything the Republicans do, albeit to play politics with something Republican. Throughout the 90s the Republicans filibustered and refused many Clinton nominations. They obstructed the very business of the government by officially closing down the government into complete inaction. None of that then, the Republicans claimed, had anything to do with politics but merely an honest debate about the direction the country was heading. Explain to me the difference now.

What strikes me is this: All presidential nominees are to be approved by the Senate, followed by a hearing. To have a hearing is to review the ability of the nominee to fulfill the duties in which he or she has been selected. If the Senate is granted, by the Constitution, approval powers then it is ultimately the Senate’s responsibility to debate the nominees selected by the president. Debate is the critical word here. The final approval of yes or no for political nominees is within the powers of the Senate- not the president or the neocons. It’s scary to think that the Senate floor should no longer be used as a forum for political debate. And yet that is exactly what Bush and the neocons want to happen.

There is no doubt that Bush wants Bolton to be the go between guy for the UN. And there is no doubt that Democrats and other leading Republicans question not only Bush’s motive for doing so, but also Bolton’s qualifications and astuteness for such a job. That’s what Senate hearings are for. Instead Bush wants to manhandle everything. He’s like a spoiled rich kid that doesn’t get his way, who just runs around calling everybody names until he does.

If the president really wanted to relate to the American people about his nominations, he would hold a press conference instead of using his pulpit to blast anything that’s in disagreement with him. For in the end, politics is essentially being able to relate to the people. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fortunate son born with a silver spoon in my mouth. So for the president to relate, he’s going to have to communicate. That’s politics at the lowest level, that is the outcome I mentioned earlier. And we are still on press conference number 20 and holding. I just don’t agree with that kind of politics.