Obama Superior to McCain at Presidential Persuasion

The greatest power held by a President is his or her ability to persuade.  That was the premise of late author Richard E. Neustadt, written in his 1960’s book, Presidential Power.

Neustadt opined that a president only has the power to persuade both the public and congress to enact his vision for America through legislation. Without which, a president may be doomed for failure.

When the public is inspired, we expect congress to respond.  And they should, because according to the mandates of our constitution, they’re duty is to represent us, not their own self-interest.

That concept seems to have been lost.

When congress fails to respond, the President, in order to be effective, is required to inspire public sentiment, allowing the energy he creates to influence congressional acts.

Partisanship aside, which presidential candidate has this gift?

Contrary to the “lack of leadership” label bestowed upon him by republicans, Barack Obama possesses a striking power to persuade the public, similar to that of JFK.

Drawing thousands of supporters and curiosity seekers to his public appearances, Obama commands attention.  Under a democratic-controlled congress, there may be no need to promote his vision beyond that.  The director may simply use his gift to introduce the congressional choir’s next song on the program to his audience.

That arrangement, however, will backfire on the Democrats if their agenda is skewed too far to the left.  Moderation always wins.

Despite enviable personal courage, any chance for John McCain to persuade the public is automatically cancelled out by his republican affiliation.

Unjustified wars, more wealth continuously heaved upon the rich, and an economy pointed to disaster, are repugnant to Americans and their ideals. Nobody is really listening to his proclamations.

Instead, at his rallies, his faithful are screaming at him for reform. But they’ve come to realize, that despite their efforts, he doesn’t hear them.

McCain’s perceived disconnect with our generation, even with the addition of young Sarah Palin to the ticket, relegates him to second trombone.

His tired policies are uninspiring to this generation thirsting for innovation and raised in the age of the pervasive power of electronic social networking.

Who wants to pay big money to see the tired Rolling Stones just one more time?

Despite the persuasion of political partisanship, this time, presidential persuasion trumps, because this election represents the political establishment’s final ride on their merry-go-round.  The public has declared that it will no longer allow it to operate on their festival grounds.

Once Obama’s plan for America smacks those awakened by the groundswell of unintended constitutionalists, an inspired third party will inevitably emerge to lead this generation, and put the final kibosh on the politics of our two floundering political parties, no matter who bears its standard with all of the qualities to persuade.

That day is coming. Obama and his Democrats are unknowingly taking us down that path to the final chapter of tired politics, as we know it.

Keep Digging!

The media keeps on diggin’ in an effort to find as much dirt as possible on McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin.  Each word from her acceptance speech is scrutinized by the media.

The latest?

Palin’s statement that she placed the state jet used by former Alaskan Governor Murkowski on Ebay is now being vetted by the media.  Apparently, the plane didn’t sell on Ebay.  Rather, it sold via an aviation broker for less than it’s original purchase price.

Who cares?  The fact is that Governor Palin eliminated a unnecessary state expense that she believed was unjustly dropped in the laps of Alaskan taxpayers.

What’s more important– how the plane was sold, or the fact that is was sold?

Ventura Questions Government’s Veracity

According to the US Government, who was the mastermind behind the destruction of New York’s World Trade Center during the 911 attacks?

Usama Bin Laden, right?

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura raised an interesting point during his speech at Ron Paul’s “Campaign for Liberty” convention that operated simultaneously with the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis this week.

According to Ventura, the government accused Bin Laden of the terrorist act, but never indicted him in federal court. Moreover, the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List” includes Bin Laden, but doesn’t mention his culpability for 911 anywhere.

Ventura surmises that our government justified the Iraq and Afganistan wars by making the 911 connection to Bin Laden as the leader of Al-Qaeda.  So, if the government’s theory is true, then why isn’t Bin Laden connected to the act on the FBI’s website?

Do We Want to Know That Much?

Governor Sarah Palin’s unanticipated entry into this manufactured Presidential   Election only adds more fuel to a fire that needs to be stomped out.

The attacks on Governor Palin’s daughter confirm the intensity of this obnoxious power struggle between democrats and republicans.  As we’ve come to expect, it’s getting nastier everyday and turning American’s off.

Keep in mind, this commercial-free garbage is being televised to the world via television and the internet.

Are the candidates providing us with solutions to serious issues like the multi-trillion dollar debt that strangles our nation; the enormous amount of reckless spending that our legislators continue to approve by stealth; or, how about the erosion of our liberty and privacy?

No, you won’t hear that from this “high school class president-level” of discourse.

Both parties are certainly responsible for the mess that faces our country, and despite their promises, once elected they’ll do nothing to change our situation, unless the next president has the power to persuade congress.

Recent history tells us that congress is now controlled by lobbyists fueled by powerful special interest organizations.  It’s so much easier for an elected representative to take their money, and vote as directed in order to perpetuate membership in these political machines and personal power.