New Limacon
08-08-2008, 22:37
This is sort of related the the US Presidential election, but a more general question.
Both candidates have tried to show they are not part of the "Washington machine," McCain playing himself as a maverick and Obama taking advantage of the little Washington experience he has. I have to say, though, while I don't want Boss Tweed running the government, I don't really have a problem with political machines. They tend to reward merit, are efficient, and are open to the public, allowing people who campaign 24-7 to have a greater impact than those who flip a coin on Election Day. Also, looking at real politicians, the ones who tend to get more done are the ones who know how the machine works: just compare someone like Clinton to someone like Carter, or even Kennedy.
Thoughts? Are the smoke-filled rooms such a bad thing?
EDIT: This was sort of inspired by a recent New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2008/08/11/080811crat_atlarge_lemann) article, about a political scientist who saw the government as a collection of many different interest groups vying for power.
Both candidates have tried to show they are not part of the "Washington machine," McCain playing himself as a maverick and Obama taking advantage of the little Washington experience he has. I have to say, though, while I don't want Boss Tweed running the government, I don't really have a problem with political machines. They tend to reward merit, are efficient, and are open to the public, allowing people who campaign 24-7 to have a greater impact than those who flip a coin on Election Day. Also, looking at real politicians, the ones who tend to get more done are the ones who know how the machine works: just compare someone like Clinton to someone like Carter, or even Kennedy.
Thoughts? Are the smoke-filled rooms such a bad thing?
EDIT: This was sort of inspired by a recent New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2008/08/11/080811crat_atlarge_lemann) article, about a political scientist who saw the government as a collection of many different interest groups vying for power.