Stopping White House Wast Fraud and Abuse
“Our democracy is being torn apart. Vital government services are being eliminated or weakened to the point of ineffectiveness. The OIG’s promise to root out fraud and waste has itself been a fraudulent waste of resources, time, and public energy. To save our democracy and restore the integrity of the federal government, the messaging of progressive and moderate parties and candidates must change. Parties and candidates must clearly define what they stand for and why it matters. Vague concepts like “democracy” and “integrity” lack impact in the public mind.
I suspect you receive the same political fundraising emails I do. They all follow the same formula: the end of the month or quarter is near, the fundraising goal hasn’t been met, the need is urgent; please donate now. They ask, “How can we ever win without more money?” Included are vague promises of positive outcomes if the candidate is elected and dire warnings of negative consequences if they aren’t. These appeals have become boring and unappealing.
For the American Dream to become more reality and less illusion, the constant barrage of fundraising messages must be replaced with simple, truthful, and easily understood statements about how a restored democracy will address the basic needs of families and local communities. The new messaging must speak to the needs of the voting public as they express them. Special attention must be given to voices that have often been ignored or silenced. Starting with the ordinary aspects of daily life, people want certainty and security about adequate housing, food, transportation, clothing, and sufficient time for rest and recreation. These are basic needs shared by everyone, but the specific definitions of “adequate,” “security,” and “certainty” should come from the people themselves.
Moderate and progressive messaging has failed when it speaks down to those with less and panders to those with more. It’s even worse when it emphasizes fears and anxieties. While Christians may have confidence in our hope for what is unseen, the voting public wants tangible and achievable hope, backed by evidence.
For all the services the federal government provides, most Americans perceive it as a bloated, inefficient bureaucracy. There are enough examples, however flimsy, to support this view. Therefore, we must acknowledge the need to make the government more efficient and effective. The most important step is to reorient the bureaucracy’s structure and procedures to prioritize consumer and customer service. The needs and satisfaction of the public must be the starting point, not just the end goal. This can only happen when a new administration and members of Congress make it a central focus of their rhetoric and actions.
The current administration has caused significant damage, and the extent of the damage over the next three years is unknown. Rebuilding will require time. This presents an opportunity for the administration and Congress to employ systems experts, rather than lawyers, to recommend more efficient and effective structures and processes. Lawyers should translate these recommendations into legislative language, but they should not be involved in the design phase. While I am deeply suspicious of the uncontrolled use of AI, it may be a valuable tool in the design phase.
Simple, straightforward, honest outlines of how basic needs will be met by a new administration and Congress are the foundation for realizing the American Dream. Other essential legislative elements include comprehensive renewal of the nation’s infrastructure, the orientation of industry toward a technologically driven future, the importance of a well-educated, healthy public, and a constructive role for the U.S. in the international community. However important, these are too abstract to be the core of the messaging needed.
New messaging must address the ambiguous concept of “fairness.” The American public values fairness and detests unfairness. The New Deal and Fair Deal were appealing because fairness was broadly distributed (though not universally) for the benefit of the community, creating opportunities for individuals. Trouble began when significant portions of the public were denied access to this “fair deal.” Those in power reacted by labeling national welfare as “socialism,” arguing that “true Americans” were rugged individualists who needed little from the government. The 1980s furthered this individualistic approach, allowing the market to concentrate power in the hands of corporations and big finance, promising that wealth would “trickle down” to everyone. This promise was never fulfilled. For various reasons, this seems to have transformed adults into squabbling toddlers, complaining “it’s not fair” whenever their personal desires are thwarted.
Even the radical right has recognized the dangers of unchecked individualism. They seek to create national unity by imposing a form of fascist nationalism, where a wealthy elite would use white supremacy to coerce the entire nation into an artificial unity. Moderate and progressive messaging must clearly articulate that individual opportunity is dependent on national prosperity, defined by shared values of liberal democracy. While I generally avoid political attack rhetoric, a direct challenge to the “it’s not fair” mentality might be necessary. A community or nation cannot be prosperous, harmonious, or secure if it doesn’t provide opportunity for everyone without distinction.
The old supply-side promise of trickle-down prosperity never materialized. It skewed the playing field toward the wealthy and powerful, hindering the American Dream for most Americans. The correction must begin with significant changes to the tax code. Again, while important, this is an abstract issue, difficult to make the core of the new messaging we need. For the last 50 years, we have heard that taxes are the confiscation of our money, used for purposes beyond our control, and that we could use that money more effectively for our own well-being. This narrative must be replaced with one that emphasizes taxes as our collective investment in the welfare and prosperity of the entire nation, especially those in middle and lower-income brackets. It’s about making personal investment in the nation’s well-being a highly esteemed American virtue.
We need higher marginal tax rates on the super-wealthy and a requirement that all profitable corporations pay their fair share of the cost of running the country. Just as importantly, the tax code needs to be changed to reduce the emphasis on profitability and stock prices as the sole measures of corporate success. These factors, while important, must be balanced with requirements that corporations invest not only in plant and equipment but also in their employees. This may be the most challenging message to construct and translate into legislation. The very idea clashes with the mercantile libertarian ideology that dominates corporate executives, market analysts, and investment advisors. Overcoming their resistance will be difficult, but it is essential.”