[Note: sorry for the earlier premature posting of the Dec 3 material: h/t to Jacinth for catching the error.]
We shall start by looking at two faces of John McCain as a member of Congress. Then we segue to our discussion of the presidency by looking at his biographical video. What image is he trying to project -- and how does it differ from the "home style" and "Hill Style" of a lawmaker?
Read Tocqueville's reflections on presidential power, esp. pp. 125-126. How do they relate to the current status of the presidency? In early 1961, Ike gave his Farewell Address, famously warning of the military-industrial complex. Days later, the torch passed to JFK, who took a distinctly militant tone in the Cold War.
(His successor, Lyndon Johnson, had an earthy way of expressing himself.)
Look here for a list of White House offices. All presidents worry about staff leaks. LBJ did. Even the Bartlet White House did. So do we have "plurality in the Executive"?
1 comment:
I am a 2 tour Vietnam Veteran who recently retired after 36 years of working in the Defense Industrial Complex on many of the weapons systems being used by our forces as we speak.
Politicians make no difference.
We have bought into the Military Industrial Complex (MIC). If you would like to read how this happens please see:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/03/spyagency200703
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/11/halliburton200711
Through a combination of public apathy and threats by the MIC we have let the SYSTEM get too large. It is now a SYSTEMIC problem and the SYSTEM is out of control. Government and industry are merging and that is very dangerous.
There is no conspiracy. The SYSTEM has gotten so big that those who make it up and run it day to day in industry and government simply are perpetuating their existance.
The politicians rely on them for details and recommendations because they cannot possibly grasp the nuances of the environment and the BIG SYSTEM.
So, the system has to go bust and then be re-scaled, fixed and re-designed to run efficiently and prudently, just like any other big machine that runs poorly or becomes obsolete or dangerous.
This situation will right itself through trauma. I see a government ENRON on the horizon, with an associated house cleaning.
The next president will come and go along with his appointees and politicos. The event to watch is the collapse of the MIC.
For more details see:
http://www.rosecoveredglasses.blogspot.com
http://rosecoveredglasses.blogspot.com/2007/02/warped-priorities.html
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