A November, 2008, report by the Brookings Institute's Partnership for the Americas Commission concerns key challenges faced by the United States and the hemisphere’s other countries—such as securing sustainable energy supplies, combating and adapting to climate change, and combating organized crime and drug trafficking. The report concludes that these challenges have become so complex and deeply transnational that they cannot be managed or overcome by any single country.
Focusing on the "war on drugs", Tracy Wilkinson of the Los Angeles Times writes,"The problem, according to the report, is that the U.S. approach emphasizes law enforcement and neglects the problem of consumption." The same article Ernesto Zedillo, Co-chairman of the Brookings Institution's Partnership for the Americas Commission, is reported as saying that U.S. policy has been "asymmetrical" in demanding Mexico stanch the flow of drugs northward without successful efforts to stop the flow of guns south and that, in addition to disrupting drug-smuggling routes, eradicating crops and prosecuting dealers, the U.S. must confront the public health issue that large-scale [drug] consumption poses. Wilkinson further quotes Zedillo as saying, "If we insist only on a strategy of a criminal pursuit of those who traffic in drugs, the problem will never be resolved."
It occurred to me that the same proposition could be applied to the "war on terror". If we insist on a strategy of military action against terrorists, the problem will never be solved. You simply cannot kill all of the terrorists and, the more of them that you kill, the more terrorists you will face. The U.S. and its allies in the war on terrorism must address the conditions that create terrorists.
To protect the hemisphere from drugs and organized crime, the report recommends that the nations undertake a comprehensive, comparative evaluation of counter narcotics measures. Recommended actions, among others, include: (1)increase substantially the amount of federal and state funds available to drug courts and related treatment programs, (2) complement drug-prevention programs in schools with drug education outside the classroom, (3) customize the messages of drug-prevention campaigns to specific target groups, and (4) combine eradication efforts with policies to promote alternative livelihoods and more effective interdiction.
To protect the world from radical Islamic terrorists, the nations need to undertake a comprehensive counter-terrorism measures. Recommended actions include: (1) creating employment opportunities and job training through the investment of Middle Eastern oil profits throughout areas where Muslims predominate; (2) improving educational opportunities that supplant the religious training of Muslim youth and eclipse teaching of radical Islamic beliefs; (3) developing motion picture, television and other performance events, including professional sports, that are consistent with Muslim religious beliefs, (4) admitting to the adverse effects of colonialism and take actions to rectify any remnants of colonialism by making amends where possible; (5) showcasing Western life and values to counter misconceptions among the Muslim population about Americans and Europeans; 6) delivering medical assistance wherever it is needed to impoverished populations; and providing technical assistance and equipment to improve agriculture and food production and consumption. There are certainly other things that can be done to slowly, but surely, transform the Muslim world into a modern society with respect to tolerating other religions, diminishing corruption, and respecting human rights (particular those of women). Perhaps, with a new President, an effective counter to radial Islamic terrorism can be developed.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Streamline Government
When Obama introduced his economic team, the duplication in agency names made me suspect there were redundancies in the their functions. To streamline government, any overlap of function should be eliminated to avoid duplication of effort. Of course, reform would depend on the functions of each agency, something I knew little about. Therefore, research was needed to determine if my suspicions are warranted. The information below came directly from agency Web pages.
The National Economic Council (NEC), established in 1993 within the Office of Policy Development (part of the Executive Office of the President) was created to advise the President on matters related to U.S. and global economic policy. The NEC has four principal functions: coordinate policy-making for domestic and international economic issues, coordinate economic policy advice for the President, ensure that policy decisions and programs are consistent with the President's economic goals, and monitor implementation of the President's economic policy agenda. The purview of the NEC extends to policy matters affecting the various sectors of the nation's economy as well as the overall strength of the U.S. and global macro-economies. Therefore, the membership of the NEC comprises numerous department and agency heads within the administration, whose policy jurisdictions impact the nation's economy. The NEC Director works in conjunction with these officials to coordinate and implement a variety of economic policy issues including: agriculture, commerce, energy, financial markets, fiscal policy, health care, labor, and Social Security and the President's economic policy objectives.
The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) was established by the Employment Act of 1946 to provide the President with objective economic analysis and advice on the development and implementation of a wide range of domestic and international economic policy issues. The CEA has three members appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President designates one of the members as Chairman. CEA's duties and functions include: (1) to assist and advise the President in the preparation of the Economic Report; (2) to gather timely and authoritative information concerning economic developments and economic trends, both current and prospective, (3) to analyze and interpret such information for the purpose of determining whether such developments and trends are interfering, or are likely to interfere, with the achievement of such policy, (4) to compile and submit to the President studies relating to such developments and trends; 5) to appraise the various programs and activities of the Federal Government for the purpose of determining the extent to which such programs and activities are contributing, and the extent to which they are not contributing, to the achievement of such policy, and to make recommendations to the President with respect thereto; and (6) to develop and recommend to the President national economic policies that foster and promote free competitive enterprise, that avoid economic fluctuations or to diminish the effects thereof, and that maintain employment, production, and purchasing power; and (7) to make and furnish such studies, reports thereon, and recommendations with respect to matters of Federal economic policy and legislation as the President may request.
The Domestic Policy Council (DPC), headed by the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House and offers policy advice to the President. The DPC also works to ensure that domestic policy initiatives are coordinated and consistent throughout federal agencies. Finally, the DPC monitors the implementation of domestic policy, and represents the President's priorities to other branches of government. Although the name has changed throughout the years, a domestic policy staff has existed in the White House since the 1960s until a 1970 executive order created the 'Office of Policy Development,' a larger White House office that currently oversees the National Economic Council and the Domestic Policy Council. The "Domestic Policy Council," as it is known today, was created by Executive Order in 1993.
Currently, the Domestic Policy Council oversees major domestic policy areas such as education, health, housing, welfare, justice, federalism, transportation, environment, labor and veteran's affairs. The Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), the Office of National Drug Control Policy(ONDCP), USA Freedon Corps (USAFC), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) are also affiliated with the Domestic Policy Council. The Domestic Policy Council’s formal membership includes cabinet secretaries and administrators of federal agencies that affect the issues addressed by the DPC.
Obviously, there's a lot of overlap in two of the White House agencies, but how about the Department of the Treasury? The Treasury Department is the only cabinet level agency set forth in the Constitution. The Department of the Treasury's mission highlights its role as the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, and as an influential participant in the global economy. The Department is responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States and for a wide range of activities such as advising the President on economic and financial issues, encouraging sustainable economic growth, and fostering improved governance in financial institutions. The basic functions of the Department of the Treasury include: managing Federal finances; collecting taxes, duties and monies paid to and due to the U.S. and paying all bills of the U.S.; currency and coinage; managing Government accounts and the public debt; supervising national banks and thrift institutions; advising on domestic and international financial, monetary, economic, trade and tax policy; enforcing Federal finance and tax laws and investigating and prosecuting tax evaders, counterfeiters, and forgers. The Treasury also works with other federal agencies, foreign governments, and international financial institutions to encourage global economic growth, raise standards of living, and to the extent possible, predict and prevent economic and financial crises. It enhances national security by implementing economic sanctions against foreign threats to the U.S., identifying and targeting the financial support networks of national security threats, and improving the safeguards of our financial systems. The Department of the Treasury is organized into two major components: Departmental offices and the operating bureaus. The former are primarily responsible for the formulation of policy and management of the Department as a whole, while the operating bureaus carry out the specific operations assigned to the Department. The bureaus make up 98% of the Treasury work force. While there doesn't appear to be much overlap of the Treasury's operating bureaus with the White House economic policy councils, the so-called departmental offices show potential for overlap, duplication, and redundancy.
Want to change the way business is done in Washington? Does the description of the roles of these three agency groups overwhelm you? Do you get a sense of hard it is to get anything done in Washington and why back-channel efforts are necessary to cut through the bureaucracies? Change is worth it, if all we achieve is change itself. We should combine the Treasury's departmental offices and the White House "advisers" into one organization with streamlined functions, duties and responsibilities. The White House policy councils have received plenty of attention, but not necessarily for the purpose of reforming them into a more effective tools for policy formulation. In sum, I believe we'd be better off with fewer cooks in the economic kitchen, but I'm afraid that to make a change would require a lengthy study requiring the creation of yet another agency concerned with the effective coordination of economic policy-making.
The National Economic Council (NEC), established in 1993 within the Office of Policy Development (part of the Executive Office of the President) was created to advise the President on matters related to U.S. and global economic policy. The NEC has four principal functions: coordinate policy-making for domestic and international economic issues, coordinate economic policy advice for the President, ensure that policy decisions and programs are consistent with the President's economic goals, and monitor implementation of the President's economic policy agenda. The purview of the NEC extends to policy matters affecting the various sectors of the nation's economy as well as the overall strength of the U.S. and global macro-economies. Therefore, the membership of the NEC comprises numerous department and agency heads within the administration, whose policy jurisdictions impact the nation's economy. The NEC Director works in conjunction with these officials to coordinate and implement a variety of economic policy issues including: agriculture, commerce, energy, financial markets, fiscal policy, health care, labor, and Social Security and the President's economic policy objectives.
The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) was established by the Employment Act of 1946 to provide the President with objective economic analysis and advice on the development and implementation of a wide range of domestic and international economic policy issues. The CEA has three members appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President designates one of the members as Chairman. CEA's duties and functions include: (1) to assist and advise the President in the preparation of the Economic Report; (2) to gather timely and authoritative information concerning economic developments and economic trends, both current and prospective, (3) to analyze and interpret such information for the purpose of determining whether such developments and trends are interfering, or are likely to interfere, with the achievement of such policy, (4) to compile and submit to the President studies relating to such developments and trends; 5) to appraise the various programs and activities of the Federal Government for the purpose of determining the extent to which such programs and activities are contributing, and the extent to which they are not contributing, to the achievement of such policy, and to make recommendations to the President with respect thereto; and (6) to develop and recommend to the President national economic policies that foster and promote free competitive enterprise, that avoid economic fluctuations or to diminish the effects thereof, and that maintain employment, production, and purchasing power; and (7) to make and furnish such studies, reports thereon, and recommendations with respect to matters of Federal economic policy and legislation as the President may request.
The Domestic Policy Council (DPC), headed by the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House and offers policy advice to the President. The DPC also works to ensure that domestic policy initiatives are coordinated and consistent throughout federal agencies. Finally, the DPC monitors the implementation of domestic policy, and represents the President's priorities to other branches of government. Although the name has changed throughout the years, a domestic policy staff has existed in the White House since the 1960s until a 1970 executive order created the 'Office of Policy Development,' a larger White House office that currently oversees the National Economic Council and the Domestic Policy Council. The "Domestic Policy Council," as it is known today, was created by Executive Order in 1993.
Currently, the Domestic Policy Council oversees major domestic policy areas such as education, health, housing, welfare, justice, federalism, transportation, environment, labor and veteran's affairs. The Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), the Office of National Drug Control Policy(ONDCP), USA Freedon Corps (USAFC), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) are also affiliated with the Domestic Policy Council. The Domestic Policy Council’s formal membership includes cabinet secretaries and administrators of federal agencies that affect the issues addressed by the DPC.
Obviously, there's a lot of overlap in two of the White House agencies, but how about the Department of the Treasury? The Treasury Department is the only cabinet level agency set forth in the Constitution. The Department of the Treasury's mission highlights its role as the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, and as an influential participant in the global economy. The Department is responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States and for a wide range of activities such as advising the President on economic and financial issues, encouraging sustainable economic growth, and fostering improved governance in financial institutions. The basic functions of the Department of the Treasury include: managing Federal finances; collecting taxes, duties and monies paid to and due to the U.S. and paying all bills of the U.S.; currency and coinage; managing Government accounts and the public debt; supervising national banks and thrift institutions; advising on domestic and international financial, monetary, economic, trade and tax policy; enforcing Federal finance and tax laws and investigating and prosecuting tax evaders, counterfeiters, and forgers. The Treasury also works with other federal agencies, foreign governments, and international financial institutions to encourage global economic growth, raise standards of living, and to the extent possible, predict and prevent economic and financial crises. It enhances national security by implementing economic sanctions against foreign threats to the U.S., identifying and targeting the financial support networks of national security threats, and improving the safeguards of our financial systems. The Department of the Treasury is organized into two major components: Departmental offices and the operating bureaus. The former are primarily responsible for the formulation of policy and management of the Department as a whole, while the operating bureaus carry out the specific operations assigned to the Department. The bureaus make up 98% of the Treasury work force. While there doesn't appear to be much overlap of the Treasury's operating bureaus with the White House economic policy councils, the so-called departmental offices show potential for overlap, duplication, and redundancy.
Want to change the way business is done in Washington? Does the description of the roles of these three agency groups overwhelm you? Do you get a sense of hard it is to get anything done in Washington and why back-channel efforts are necessary to cut through the bureaucracies? Change is worth it, if all we achieve is change itself. We should combine the Treasury's departmental offices and the White House "advisers" into one organization with streamlined functions, duties and responsibilities. The White House policy councils have received plenty of attention, but not necessarily for the purpose of reforming them into a more effective tools for policy formulation. In sum, I believe we'd be better off with fewer cooks in the economic kitchen, but I'm afraid that to make a change would require a lengthy study requiring the creation of yet another agency concerned with the effective coordination of economic policy-making.
Objects of Thankfulness
Letters to the editor in the Kansas City Star's Thanksgiving Day issue all had the same subject, what the writer was thankful for. Reviewing all 22 letters, I found that the leading sentiment mentioned in one form or another was for other people, mostly family, but also friends, co-workers, and others who did nice things. More than half (12) of the writers named essentials of life, i.e., home, food, job; just ahead of the general group of feelings (10) for a religious deity, a church community, and communal expressions of love and kindness. Thanks for health and life itself was in fourth place (9). Our country, and its corollary, the right to vote, was next in prominence (8). Other objects mentioned once or twice included a pet, a hobby, self, school, pleasures, conveniences, cultural activities and diversions. There were really no surprises. I am thankful for all of those things, although I might put them in a different order of importance. The important thing is to acknowledge one's appreciation for the beneficence of life and return the favors that are bestowed on you by others, The Golden Rule.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
McCain's VP Choice
All I have to say to John McCain about the choice of Sarah Palin as the GOP's candidate for Vice President is, "Thank you, NOT". He has unleashed a mediocre politician on us who isn't presidential timber. It's a fluke that she even got elected to the be Governor of Alaska. Her grasp of public policy issues is tenuous and superficial. Let's hope the media tires of her and she fades back into obscurity.
Grief Counseling for Conservatives
Psychologists say there are four stages of grief: denial, anger, depression and acceptance. The stages of grief do not always exhibit in the aforesaid order, because a stage may be but briefly expressed or may be reentered through digression. Signs of these stages of grief are evident among conservatives due to John McCain’s loss in the recent election for Presidential. A sign of denial is the claim that the loss was due to McCain not being conservative enough, that conservative principles were not rejected by the voting majority. Denial says it was a lack of fidelity to conservatism that voters rejected, not the principles themselves. Anger is exhibited in many ways, one of which is letters to the editor forecasting doom and gloom from an Obama presidency and predicting bad things for America. Depression is shown by disengagement of conservatives from their pre-election dialogue with statements that the GOP needs to evaluate itself and reform the party line for greater conformance to the ideals and aspirations of mainstream America, that a cleansing is needed to find happiness again. Acceptance will come later, when the conservatives realize that the USA is not going to hell in a hand-basket, as Democrats together with Republicans cooperate to mold national policy and support its implementation. Acceptance will be shown through expressions of political dialogue without vilifying others with pejorative terms.
Following the psychological theory of the stages of grief, a grief counselor would attempt to help a grief stricken conservative through these stages so they will eventually experience a healing catharsis. As a compassionate person, but not a psychologist, I would be willing to assist a conservative overcome his or her pain from their unfulfilled aspirations of political leadership. For those in denial, I would lead them through a recitation of the GOP line as voiced during the campaign through a smears and proposals for action on various issues. I would patiently help them analyze the smear allegations and campaign promises so they could understand the untruths and impracticalities and see the light. Denial would no longer exist in an enlightened condition where such thoughts are impossible. For those exhibiting anger, I would help them vent their feelings in harmless, creative ways. For example, I would encourage them to express their dogmatic views through writing letters to the editor, posting on blogs, drawing political cartoons, sending emails to political allies and opponents and speaking out in mixed company even if politics is not the topic of the moment. I would ask them to show their anger by contributing funds to the maximum of their ability to their party and losing candidates. Eventually, they’ll get over it as they realize the energy and money spent will not change the outcome of the election, and then acceptance will occur.
Well, Mr., Mrs. or Miss Conservative, I’m ready whenever you are.
Following the psychological theory of the stages of grief, a grief counselor would attempt to help a grief stricken conservative through these stages so they will eventually experience a healing catharsis. As a compassionate person, but not a psychologist, I would be willing to assist a conservative overcome his or her pain from their unfulfilled aspirations of political leadership. For those in denial, I would lead them through a recitation of the GOP line as voiced during the campaign through a smears and proposals for action on various issues. I would patiently help them analyze the smear allegations and campaign promises so they could understand the untruths and impracticalities and see the light. Denial would no longer exist in an enlightened condition where such thoughts are impossible. For those exhibiting anger, I would help them vent their feelings in harmless, creative ways. For example, I would encourage them to express their dogmatic views through writing letters to the editor, posting on blogs, drawing political cartoons, sending emails to political allies and opponents and speaking out in mixed company even if politics is not the topic of the moment. I would ask them to show their anger by contributing funds to the maximum of their ability to their party and losing candidates. Eventually, they’ll get over it as they realize the energy and money spent will not change the outcome of the election, and then acceptance will occur.
Well, Mr., Mrs. or Miss Conservative, I’m ready whenever you are.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
No Joy in Mudville
McCasey has struck out. There's no joy in Mudville today after Obama's victory at the polls. A guy down the street has the American flag flying at half-mast on the pole in his front yard. The mood of the males in the locker room at my daily work-out place was somber, unlike the comments disparaging Obama that were floated last Monday. A lady working out on an elliptical trainer next to the one I was using for self-punishment remarked to me that she was fearful of the direction this country would take with Obama in the lead. Glenn Beck, on his morning radio show, said that now was the time to start home-schooling your children, because the public schools had failed to educate the public in the truths of being an American. Otherwise, he mused, how can you explain Obama's victory, except by the ignorance of the mis-guided voters who said, "Yes, We Can". Many other examples of dismay are finding voice. Rush Limbaugh who calls himself the Doctor of Democracy was ranting in circles about Obama's win. Actually, Rush has a PhD (piled higher and deeper) in Demagoguery. A CNN call-in commentor kept repeating the RNC line, apparently not realizing that the sound-bites he uttered were nothing more than campaign rhetoric with no foundation in fact. I'm going to pay attention to the mutterings of those disappointed in the event that brought joy to untold thousands of Americans. When the pain of the conservative faithful becomes too much for them to bear, I'll remind them that it is only a ballgame. They'll get plenty of more chances to strike out in the future, like they did this November 4th.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Pre-Election Musings
Tomorrow is the day when all the hype is done, when the ballots are cast and when the winner is known.
The advertisements have been extraordinary for their hyperbole. In case you don’t know what hyperbole means, it means extravagant exaggeration and that’s what we have. The Republican National Committee is the out-of-control spin-master, like claiming a budget resolution vote by many Democrats (and Republicans, too, but that is forgotten) was a vote for the highest tax increase ever. It doesn’t stop there. Obama is said by the RNC as not ready to lead; and yet he has been the spearhead for one of the best political campaigns ever. If the way he has conducted himself during the campaign is any indication of how he will behave as president, I am satisfied that he will be up to the demands of the office. A remark by Obama to “Joe, the Plumber” that spreading the wealth in the economy was a laudable goal has been twisted into accusations of being a socialist and, by some, a Marxist. The only thing that I fault Obama for is not first asking “Joe” whether the $250,000 revenue he claimed the plumbing business he would buy was gross or net. I suspect it was gross revenue, because a one or two person could generate that much but not enough to earn that kind of taxable income. Just do the math: 250 work days per year times $1,000 billed per day or about $100 per hour including wages, equipment, supplies, travel, etc. That question of gross or net would have exposed Joe as a man without a case for worrying about a tax rate on incomes over $250,000. Too bad the news media people weren’t smart enough to ask that question. I will admit that the McCain campaign made the most of it, but no spin will make up for the VP selection of the “You betcha” gal from Wasilla, AK. If that’s McCain’s idea of judgment, I hope he doesn’t exercise it as President. If McCain’s judgment and erratic behavior in crisis (suspending a campaign to rescue the nation from financial disaster and not contributing a tinker’s damn to the solution) is any indication of how he behave as President, may divine providence help this country in its time of need, because nothing else will save us from his miscues.
If you can’t figure out who I’m voting for, you better re-read the above. Join me at the polls and “Go Obama”.
The advertisements have been extraordinary for their hyperbole. In case you don’t know what hyperbole means, it means extravagant exaggeration and that’s what we have. The Republican National Committee is the out-of-control spin-master, like claiming a budget resolution vote by many Democrats (and Republicans, too, but that is forgotten) was a vote for the highest tax increase ever. It doesn’t stop there. Obama is said by the RNC as not ready to lead; and yet he has been the spearhead for one of the best political campaigns ever. If the way he has conducted himself during the campaign is any indication of how he will behave as president, I am satisfied that he will be up to the demands of the office. A remark by Obama to “Joe, the Plumber” that spreading the wealth in the economy was a laudable goal has been twisted into accusations of being a socialist and, by some, a Marxist. The only thing that I fault Obama for is not first asking “Joe” whether the $250,000 revenue he claimed the plumbing business he would buy was gross or net. I suspect it was gross revenue, because a one or two person could generate that much but not enough to earn that kind of taxable income. Just do the math: 250 work days per year times $1,000 billed per day or about $100 per hour including wages, equipment, supplies, travel, etc. That question of gross or net would have exposed Joe as a man without a case for worrying about a tax rate on incomes over $250,000. Too bad the news media people weren’t smart enough to ask that question. I will admit that the McCain campaign made the most of it, but no spin will make up for the VP selection of the “You betcha” gal from Wasilla, AK. If that’s McCain’s idea of judgment, I hope he doesn’t exercise it as President. If McCain’s judgment and erratic behavior in crisis (suspending a campaign to rescue the nation from financial disaster and not contributing a tinker’s damn to the solution) is any indication of how he behave as President, may divine providence help this country in its time of need, because nothing else will save us from his miscues.
If you can’t figure out who I’m voting for, you better re-read the above. Join me at the polls and “Go Obama”.
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