The Ying and Yang of Politics

03/29/2007

Paul Munnis


I remember my son sporting a U of M obtained T-Shirt that said: “Attitude Is Everything.” This is certainly true in politics. Parties can choose to go either of two ways. They can choose the positive or the negative path to dealing with society.

Let’s say it right up front – when Parties choose to represent their voters and follow the will of the people then they are on a positive political track. Whenever a piece of legislation is about building up our nation or making it stronger – then it is a positive piece of legislation.

By contrast Vetos are negative politics and legislation aimed at overthrowing the U.S. Constitution or stuffing the courts with political hacks in lieu of fair judges is all negative politics.

For the past six years the GOP has specialized in the negative politics of division and the splintering of America. It was bound to backlash and it did. Now, positive forces from the Democratic Party are seeking to right the negativity in a positive manner and a collision is happening. It is generating one hell of a thunderstorm in Washington.

Part of it is what Tim Pawlenty said of his Party (paraphrased) – “They need to accept the 2006 election results.”

It’s true that many in the GOP are in denial concerning the power shift. But it’s equally true that the GOP is a Party of negative policies and ideas. One that does not practice statesmanship, or compromise, nor do they negotiate. The result only adds to the negativity.

Of course polarization results and when it does the positive and negative forces build up a charge. The charge grows with incident after incident, collision after collision, and soon like a Tesla coil – they must discharge and try to seek equilibrium. The positive collides with the negative and then something gives.

This is the physics of electricity applied to politics by analogy and because politics is a social activity it has profound social consequences. In some cases we see a revolution come from the collision, in other cases we see riots, in still other cases we see an orderly attempt to work and resolve by the rule of law.

As attempts at resolution take place the negative and positive forces once again recharge and once again they discharge. The dynamics between Israel and Palestine are good examples. For 56 years they have been raining lightening upon one another -- man-made lightening at that.

The only circuit breaker for this continuous ebb and flow of conflict is a certain patina of restraint, civility, and calm to counter the effects of the collisions, to dampen them, and to set a climate for negotiation and resolution.

The elements involved are: collegiality, bi-partisanship, patient negotiation, compromise, and statesmanship. When we see these elements return to the political arena we can then bet that we are seeing a body politic that will move forward and an arena develop where positive politics triumph.

Whenever we see the negativity present and increasing then we must batten down the hatches to ready for the storm that surely lies ahead.

Right now in Washington we see far too much negativity and not enough positive behavior. We see the patina that represents sophistication lacking and we know the other ingredients are also lacking. All we can do is to encourage the parties to begin with civility and then work towards negotiation, compromise, and resolution. Until that is done then a lot of innocent people are being hurt and killed and don’t kid yourself the victims and their kin are building up a charge and waiting to unleash it. The best example we can give of that is an outbreak of civil war.

We encourage the Democrats to get and to keep the elements of positive politics and behavior and the GOP to join us. Together we can move America forward. If we stay splintered then nothing worthwhile will happen. To become positive again the GOP needs to rebuild its Party and it cannot do that with G.W. Bush in office. It’s time for them to pay Mr. Bush a visit with a recommendation that he resign.

In the hands of very skilled, mature, and polished politicians the dynamics of all of this electricity can be channeled in a positive manner for the common good. When it is then the leaders are said to be Statesman. When the forces are channeled in a negative manner then it results in continued conflict and then builds up and results in a need to discharge. If a circuit breaker is not present then the discharge can be enormous and it can result in mayhem.

The politics of negativity cannot have a positive outcome by definition.

What we seek and need are two positives determined to merge, grow, and quietly assimilate one anotehr. Some resistance is good and it regulates the flow and the rate of discharge. Too much resistance and the Tesla coil effect returns.