Stop it, now

So I know that it doesnt make sense for a simple college student to reprimand the leaders of a superpower like the United States, but they have more than necessitated this talking to.

Its been over two years since Barack Obama took office and in that time, Capitol Hill has done nothing but waste the nation's time, money, and attention with meaningless bickering, clearly the result of a (formerly) minority party intent on doing nothing that could potentially get in the way of their 2012 campaign hopes, no matter how much the nation might need it.

The non-stop campaign process has to end now. The actual presidential election is still nearly 600 days away but it feels like the campaign has been in full swing for the better part of the time since Obama took office. January 20, 2009 was about the new president. January 21st was about the next election.

What happened to governing? Isnt that what government is actually there for? I can guarantee you that the founding fathers, that mythical group of "democracy lovers" whom the GOP loves to point to in justifying the conservative "cause", did not create government for the purpose of holding elections. No, they created elections for the purpose of governing!

So what changed? When did our federal government suddenly dissolve into a forum for non-stoppolitical competition?

Simple answer: When the "professional politician" came about

Something the often poorly educated right overlooks is the fact that government was small during the forming stages of the United States not because the founding fathers didnt see a role for government, but rather because no one had the time to cement that role. The early American politicians didnt make their money from serving in Congress, the lack of lobbyists eliminated that possibility. Instead, they made their money in law practices, small businesses, and farms across the budding nation. Congress met for a portion of the year (not all year) and when they did, members had to sacrifice vital work time in the interest of the common good.

Now, politicians have put their livelihood in the hands of the voter. The early members of Congress didnt lose a vital income source if they lost an election. In fact, there is a good argument to be made that the loser was better off financially after an election than the winner. The first members of Congress didnt come to Washington to begin the re-election process, they came to govern.

Today, politicians need to stay in power in order to maintain an income stream. That is a dangerous situation when it comes to actually getting things done. Senators and Congressmen dont get paid by effectively governing, they get paid by winning elections and satisfying lobbyists.

So that brings us to health care, the "hot button" issue and oft-mentioned "failure" of the Obama administration.

Why was the opposition to health care reform so fierce? Simple: It was a disaster financially for any GOP politician.

Successful health care legislation would be a disaster for the party's reelection hopes. If the Democrats were able to show that national health care could work, they would in the process prove that the whole "limited government" schpeal was a pile of junk. First of all, incumbent Democrats be able to win easy re-election by pointing to the massive success of their legislative efforts. Want more of it? Re-elect me.

But perhaps more importantly, the legislation would have proven the foundational stance of the GOP to be utterly false. Government did have a role and could be efficient. No, it wouldn’t justify “socialism”. But it certainly would prove that the free market isn’t always the best way to go.

Then there are the lobbyists. Besides reelection, politicians of today earn a living by satisfying lobbyists. Sure, “kickbacks” are many times technically illegal. But do you seriously believe that? If you believe that there isn’t a politician today who is clear of lobbyist financial support, you are way too naïve.

So it is no surprise that the right was outraged that the Democrats would try to pass effective health care legislation. They didn’t mind the attempt to fix things, they just hoped it wouldn’t work and made it their primary cause to see that it wouldn’t.

The incentives today are all messed up. The development of the professional politician has led to an environment in which the minority party, whichever that might be, has a financial incentive to see it that the country doesn’t prosper under their opposition. The recipe for regaining power is simple: block every effort at progress and then spend a year on the campaign trail pointing out the opposition’s failure to live up to their promise.

Now to the lecture: You guys have to stop.

Now.

No, really, I mean it. You need to stop bickering about the election and start working.

You guys are all well off financially, you don’t need the job anyway. So in the meantime, could you please just put aside thoughts of re-election/election and just govern? Please?

If you spend as much time governing as you do campaigning. Not even more time (I’m not THAT greedy), just equal time, then maybe you will gain a little more respect from a nation that, while certainly full of its own bumbling idiots, is starting to appear far more intellectually adept that you guys, our supposed “best and brightest”.

Not only are you ruining our nation right now (both of you, so don’t start arguing about who it is, I’ve heard plenty of it already), but you are in the process discouraging all of us future leaders from getting into politics. You’ve taken politics away from its roots as a means for fighting for your beliefs and made it all about ensuring that those with whom you disagree don’t get their way. Its no longer fighting for a cause, just about fighting against the other person’s.

So stop. Now. Start governing. The election will be here before you know it. Just have some patience. Good Congress. Now run and go play with your friends.