Facing the Music – UPDATED
I’m updating and republishing this post from yesterday, to be sure we give all potential contributors ample opportunity to participate in Step #1 of the exercise described below.
As you can see in the comments section, we’ve already received a rather impressive set of suggestions from various TMV readers and authors, and we hope others will take this opportunity to contribute. Going into the weekend, we’ll edit the list then publish it early next week (so everyone knows the final set of questions we’re deploying) … and then we’ll get about the business outlined in Step #2.
Please take a moment to add your voices to the chorus.
In my post Monday on Saving the GOP, I wrote that, “I am sick and tired and more-than-a-shade furious about the debates that are distracting the party’s attention from governance issues.� I then turned around and focused on one of those distracting debates rather than tackling the more substantive governance issues that I accused the party of short-changing.
One reader, Sam, called me on this hypocrisy in the comments section, and rightly so. Next, he added a plea to all TMV contributors: “How about we get some blog posts up here about actual governance issues to comment on? One of the things I like about TMV is that folks usually do a much better job looking into issues than I would on my own. Not only that but you guys often bring up topics that I would not have seen or heard about normally. But lately its been kinda a rehash of many of the same. I think some articles about fresh topics, and also important topics, would be really nice.”
On the one hand, I think Sam’s point may be a smidge too broad, too sweeping, to be entirely fair. Fact is, my colleagues and I do write write about substantive governance issues. (As but one example, check out some of Paul Silver’s recent posts.) Sure, we also write about other issues, some of which are substantive, some of which are merely responses to the news that’s reported elsewhere and/or the social zeitgeist. (In the latter category, consider Shaun Mullen’s recent post contrasting Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith, the title of which even prompted a chuckle from my wife). And all of that’s OK — it’s fair game; it’s as-advertised fodder for these pages.
However, the above-noted caveats notwithstanding, I thought there was some merit to Sam’s challenge; maybe we (I) could post more often on on fresh and important topics, especially governance-related topics.
And so, starting today, I want to take Sam up on his challenge, in three discrete steps.
1. Identify five critical, governance-related questions that, if we could, we’d ask each of the candidates vying for their respective party’s presidential nomination next year. (Here’s a starting point, with a conservative bent, though I’d ultimately prefer to go with a list culled from TMV readers’ and contributors’ suggestions.)
2. Put those questions to each of the candidates, either directly or via their campaign committees, Web sites or blogs — and ask for answers in return: namely, honest, substantive, and to-the-point answers (rather than this type of answer, with apologies to Senator Obama).
3. Publish those answers in one or more round-up articles here at TMV.
So, if you’re game, I look forward to your thoughts on the five critical questions in Step #1, and any suggestions you might have for advancing step #2. (I have some resources in the latter area, but could always use a more direct insider’s assistance, when and where available.) Plus, I’d like to invite my TMV colleagues to let me know if they’re interested in contributing to the round-up posts, once we have the Q&A completed. (I certainly can’t, nor do I want, to write all of those posts.)
And finally, here’s to Sam, for inspiring what I hope will be a worthwhile exercise for all concerned.
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15 Responses to “Facing the Music – UPDATED”
Pete,
Wonderful idea! I’m more than willing to work with you on this, I’ve got some stuff going myself, but doing this kind of stuff is great work so… we’ll e-mail;)
Great idea.
How’s this for a start:
(1.) An overwhelming majority of Americans want Congress to put a cap on the number of troops in Iraq. Do you support a cap and if not, articulate an alternative that still takes into account the desires of the American people.
(2.) If you believe that all Americans should have access to health care, how do you propose making that a reality?
(3.) How would you wean the U.S. from such heavy dependence on imported oil, especially oil from volatile regions?
(4.) Do you approve of the Bush administration’s tacit approval of the use of torture in contravention of the Geneva Conventions?
(5.) The gap between rich and poor Americans continues to grow. What can the government do to help assure at least some degree of income parity for all Americans?
Wow, guess I sorta have to respond to this one. I think I blushed a little as I read that btw.
Here are my questions, they might be a bit broad, but they gnaw at me.
1) Education:
a) What have the effects been from the No Child Left Behind. Is it working anywhere, hurting? What do this countries educators feel about it?
b) What are politicians doing about college tuition skyrocketing far and away past the rate of inflation. How are we going to get the engineers and scientists we are going to need down the road if half of the likely ones can’t afford the higher education they need?
c) in a decade where we are once again fighting the Scopes Monkey Trial, what are we doing to promote the technical education of our next generation?
2) Health Care: similar to college tuition, why have health costs risen 87% over the past few years? What are politicians doing to help rein in that cost or get an explanation for it?
3) Corruption: Whose getting the big $$ donations from special interests and what bills have they been sponsoring? Maybe highlight one senator/congressman a week, starting with whoever authored the $8 billion in tax breaks for the oil industry in last year’s budget. What astounding new piece of deregulation or tax loophole is being snuck under the radar while we froth about gun control?
4) How well has the Dept of the Interior been executing its duties since Bush put every industrial lobbyist between DC and the Rockies in charge of it?
5) Was there ever any follow up to the outrageous election tampering during the last election? Why not? Did it not exist or did no one care to follow up after democratic friendly results?
Here’s one group of questions that I hope burns in every moderates heart:
We have recently faced an era of high partisanship in both congressional retoric and political appointments. Many of us blieve that this atmopshere hurts America’s long term prospects domestically and abroad. What do you see as the root cause of this red vs blue skisim? What have you done which you blieve demonstrates your comitment to accepting and working with people of varying points of view? And what steps to you see as the most crucial towards changing the status quo?
1. What changes to campaign finance would you support and why?
2. How would you reduce the influence of special interests in national policy?
3. Do you support non-partisan redistricting reform and why?
4. What do you recommend to encourage bi-partisan Congressional collaboration?
1. Do you believe that the US should try to spread democracy in parts of the world that have not experienced it? If so, would you use force to achieve regime change to do so?
2. Do you believe that global warming is at least partly the result of human activity? If so, how would you recommend that America combat it?
3. What are the roles of Congress and the Presidency in declaring and managing a war? Do you believe that the CIC has the innate powers to expand an existing war into new territory?
4. A lot has been made of the way our intelligence agencies were politicized by the current administration, resulting in some inaccurate and poorly sourced intel. How would you ensure that these agencies operated independently of your administration’s foreign policy goals?
5. What policies, if any, would you follow to combat the growing inequality in our country?
6. The forces of globalization have created a lot of free markets, but eliminated a lot of American jobs and even decimated key industries (manufacturing, auto). What, if anything would you do to retain those jobs and rehabilitate those industries?
1. While education is not really the responsibility of the federal government will you at least use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to push for real reform instead of a simplistic answer that just results in teaching to the test?
2. What substantive measures are you willing to push for in order to at least start the process of ameliorating all of the human caused factors that go into global warming?
3. Are you willing to leave in place a health care system that leaves millions of Americans uninsured while still using more of our country’s economic resources per capita than any other industrialized country? I ask in this manner since every “solution” that has been put forward so far does nothing but build a little on the existing flawed system, doing very little to improve or change things.
4. Since education for adults is what is almost always the proposed solution for job loss due to globalization how do you propose to enable people to not only afford the training but to pay the bills during that education since the necessary education takes longer than unemployment insurance lasts?
5. Free trade agreements and more trade was supposed to help the people in third world countries with the theory being that as their standard of living improved they would buy products from the U.S. Instead income inequality has increase both in the United States and in those poor countries, with wealth becoming more concentrated everywhere. Do you feel this is a problem and what would you propose doing about it?
1-An end to gerrymandering. Having competitive legislative districts would, in my opinion, result in more modrate representation. Maybe the need for campaign finance reform would lessen if incumbants didn’t have such an advantage. I favor the Iowa model, which is described by Centrists.Org.
2-Some kind of simplification–and standardization?–of the mechanics of voting: simple ballot design, paper trails, no backdoors in the software.
3-Federalism. Let the states decide some issues: Legalize gay marriage, outlaw abortion, permit medical marijuana.
4-Health care. I think there ought to be universal coverage. I don’t have any idea how to get there.
5-How to repair the military in the wake of the Iraq War?
6-What to do about the failures of intelligence gathering that contributed so strongly to the Iraq War?
7-I’m not aware of an “intelligent design” movement influencing Chinese education. Does our culture really want to concede global leadership in the sciences to some other culture?
8-What can we do to replace petroleum? How quickly can it be done?
1- How should be dealt with Iran? Do you expect sanctions to be enough? Should the U.S. negotiate with Iran?
2- Do you have any thoughts on bringing the Israel – Palestine problem to an end? What is a good first step right now in order to finally bring peace to that region?
3- How do you propose helping / developing Africa which continues to be the ignored continent (or have you never thought about this subject)? Would you favor creating some kind of (new) Marshall plan for Africa?
4- What is, in the long run, the best way of fighting terrorism in your opinion? Should developing poor countries be a major part of it?
5- How to make Americans more internationally oriented?
I am surprised my how specific most of the governance question that are being proposed. I think we should ask them what they think the role of government should be.
1. What should the role of the federal government be in education: Standard setter, monitor, controller, rater, etc?
2. What should be the role of the United State military: defense of United States, defender of allies, peacemaker, peacekeeper, advisor, arms dealer?
3. What should the role of the federal government in health care: 50% payer, price setter, single payer, provider, partial provider, provider of last resort?
4. What should the role of the federal government be in energy markets: central planner, influencer, totally out of, etc?
5. What should the role of the federal government be in the management of the environment and what should influence that role: regulation setter, enforcer, hands off, owner, etc?
1. What are you thoughts on ballot access reform, which would reduce the barriers to getting on the ballot that Republicans and Democrats have imposed on Third Party and Independent candidates?
2. What are your thoughts on the War on Drugs? Is this policy working? Is it Constitutionally legal? Do you personally feel that non-violent drug users should be treated like criminals and thrown in jail?
3. What are your thoughts on Gun Control? Is this policy working? Is it Constitutionally legal? What does the Second Amendment mean to you? Do you personally feel that non-violent gun-owners who own the “wrong” types of gun gun or don’t have all their guns registered should be treated like criminals and thrown in jail?
4. We heard a lot about what social programs you intend to enact once you become president. Tell me, what will you do to reduce federal spending? What are you thoughts on pork barrel spending and the ballooning costs of entitlement programs?
5. Yes or No–was it right for our government to pre-emptively attack Iraq. If yes, what other third world nations do you intend to pre-emptively attack while you are president? If no, what type of foreign policy will you enact to ensure that our country won’t be dragged into another Iraq/Vietnam/Korea?
I can’t figure out how to limit it to 5 questions. My list would be more like 5 domestic policy questions, 5 foreign policy questions, and 5 “theory of govt” type of questions similar to superdestroyer’s list.
Here are my five, though I am quite certain that most would never be addressed by any politician:
1) Do you believe in the separation between church and state, and if so, how would you address the growing influence of religious leaders on politics and political leaders. If you do not believe in the separation, why not?
2) Do you have a specific, targeted plan to improve public education in the United States, and does it include a dramatic increase in teacher salaries, teacher and administrative accountability, and the means for addressing the individual needs of all children? If not, why not?
3) How would you restore a high standard for ethics to the United States Government?
4) By all accounts, including officials within the government, the deficit is spinning wildly out of control and is become a very real threat to the stability of our nation, how specifically would you address this issue and bring spending under control?
5) Finally, why the hell should we believe anything you say?
I think superdestroyer has it right by asking open-ended questions about what candidates believe the role of government should be.
Politicians tend to repeat the same old platitudes about the top ten or so issues, but they tend to vary considerably regarding what they believe to be proper size and scope of government (assuming that they’ve thought this issue over in the first place).
[...] Regarding our “Facing the Music” project, we wanted readers to know that — through a combination of tactics — we have made at least one contact with the campaigns of each of the following. This list is focused on the contenders who have issued a “Statement of Candidacy,” according to the WaPo’s tracking list, which seems to be generally up to date. [...]