Amateur Megalomania

Say what you want about politicians, usually they aren’t stupid. Most of the time they get where they are by virtue of the stupidity of voters. Or, to be more charitable, voters, if disturbed, can be impulsive. Nothing ruins the day of an incumbent more than an impulsive voter. It is best to conduct unpopular actions immediately after an election, content in knowing that voters will likely forget about the whole thing by the next election cycle.

Unfortunately, this unavoidable truth isn’t lost on our enemies.

For all of 2006, our enemies have agitated, knowing that our leadership will avoid unpopular action at all costs. At least until after the elections. Never mind what is good for the country, or that sometimes unpopular actions MUST be taken regardless of consequence.

Both sides of the political aisle are guilty of this, so this isn’t a partisan thing.

Iran has essentially exploited an 18 month window on an election that might just change political power in DC. Considering House elections occur every two years, the permanent campaign doesn’t leave much time for strong actions from that body.

The two year term worked well when the House had little to do and events moved in a pace tuned to an eighteenth and nineteenth century agrarian society. Since serving in the House was seen more as a duty than a perk, the Founders weren’t concerned with the more craven political motivations of today’s politician.

Today, the permanent campaign has hamstrung the House while events hurtle along at a twenty-first century pace. Mass-killing threats rise, threaten, and vanish within a small portion of a House term. Meanwhile, the Power invested in that body sits unused, held in the hands of politicians fearing to do anything controversial.

I’m not certain we can afford this any longer. Even a Presidential term of four years places us in a campaign mode lasting over a year.

On the other hand, one can point to the perpetual stasis of the Senate, with six year terms, and argue quite effectively against lengthening terms. I’ll concede the point.

I haven’t made up my mind completely, but I suspect the modern world will require us to reconsider the pace of our electoral process. Current terms don’t permit long, complex policies to take root. Nor do they allow results to be fairly judged.

For example (if you will permit a similitude), Iraq looks like a mess right now. I won’t argue that, and even I’m second guessing what we are doing over there.

However, if I walked in on the first hour of a heart transplant, I might think the surgeon is nothing but an incompetent butcher.

The outcome of Iraq won’t be known for some time. It would be a shame if the political cycle made the job even more difficult.

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