“Majority of the American people are sick of the status quo, and the status quo is a Washington obsessed with legislating as though Congress's sole function is to play a wholly partisan, zero-sum game. The American people want us to put our nation ahead of party allegiances. They want us to do more than devise ways to gain and maintain power. They want us to be constructive with that power.”
A Different Perspective
Thank You!!
May 22nd, 2012
I have good news and bad news… I recently was hired to be a Political Writer in Washington, D.C. which means I will have a more effective platform to promote the issues and ideas I have been writing about for the past two years. But unfortunately, due to my new job, I must discontinue The Pragmatic Center. I am not allowed to be a political blogger.
Congressional dysfunction affects us all
May 1st, 2012
It’s not a secret that most Americans are not seriously concerned about America’s political process. Its common knowledge and everyone in politics must adapt accordingly. Politicians and their political advisors must take into account that most Americans only care about kitchen table issues - their family’s income, health care, and education. So process issues, as they’re called, such as Congressional gridlock are rarely made campaign issues. Therefore, they are perceived as lacking importance.
Common sense collaboration and compromise in the Senate
May 1st, 2012
According to Real Clear Politics, Congressional Job Approval is at 14%. That’s up a few notches from the historic low recently polled at 9%. 78% of Americans disapprove of Congress. That’s a ridiculously dismal number. Throughout its 223 year history Congress has had its ups and downs. But not even in times of reported corruption has it been so unpopular.
The dysfunction in Congress is jaw dropping. The Senate, where gridlock and dysfunction occur most often, has not passed a budget in 1,097 days. Passing a budget is its most important priority, yet it can’t even do that.
GE CEO says government is critical to economic growth
April 24th, 2012
Jeff Immelt is one of the world’s most successful CEOs at one of history’s most successful companies. He is the Chairman and CEO of GE. He has been named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s and GE has been named “America’s Most Admired Company” in a poll conducted by Fortune magazine.
Michigan Inc. – The Laboratory of Competition
April 19th, 2012
As I recently wrote, entire nations, including the United States, are taking tactics out of the playbooks of big businesses. They are building national brands and creating strategic roles for themselves in the international community.
What is America’s role in the global economic competition?
April 17th, 2012
The 21st Century has been and will continue to be defined by a global economic competition. More and more, international power of a country like the United States depends on economic power and less on military muscle. States and their citizenry must find ways to outcompete their national rivals and foreign workers.
One way nations do this is by developing a role for themselves in the international community. China, for instance, has become the world’s factory while India is its service center. This is not to say other industries don’t prosper there, however, it does reveal that nations are developing strategic roles. And it’s not just the giants who are doing this.
Moderates are…
April 16th, 2012
The New York Times columnist Bill Keller argues moderates are a distinct voting bloc. This is something I’ve been pointing out for some time. While both political parties try to present American politics as a choice between two polar opposites, there is a third way. And that third way is defined by pragmatic moderates.
Finally a Presidential Candidate Who Fights Special Interests
April 11th, 2012
Few Americans know who Buddy Roemer is, but if he has his way he will become a household name by November 2012. Buddy Roemer is a former Congressman, former Governor of Louisiana, and a former Republican presidential candidate. In February he dropped his bid for the Republican nomination and said he would seek the Reform Party’s nomination or the Americans Elect nomination. Either way Buddy Roemer hopes to influence the 2012 presidential campaign.
Independents are persuaded by economic opportunity, not economic fairness
April 11th, 2012
I’ve been arguing for some time now that economic fairness, usually defined by income inequality, is not an issue that motivates Independents. “We are the 99%” is brilliant political marketing. It informs and motivates voters. However, those voters most motivated by this message tend to be reliable Democratic voters. True Independents, unaffiliated swing voters, are not “wooed by a fairness message” as Michelle Diggles and Lanae Erickson at Third Way, a moderate think tank, have revealed.
Is Obamacare an example of bad legislation?
April 10th, 2012
In the past few decades both parties in Congress have increasing sought and passed massive pieces of legislation. These enormous bills are usually utilized to solve enormously complex issues, thus they tend be thousands of pages long. And sometimes they are so complex that they are indescribable to the public, the parties do not know how to explain them to voters. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), Obamacare is one of those laws.
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