Lack of Leadership in Politics

[lewisnotmiller]

For those who pay careful attention to my threads, you will be aware that I have bemoaned a lack of leadership, particularly in Australian politics, from time to time. This included specifically on marriage equality, where both a Labour (centrist-left) and a Liberal (centrist-right) government have simply done whatever they can to avoid the issue entirely, muddy waters, etc. I mean, for goodness sake, if you see it as something that needs to happen, make it happen, you have popular support. If you see it as something that shouldn't happen, tell us why, or make a stand. Something. Instead we just get deflections and deferrals. And this is merely an example.

Also, for those who pay careful attention to my threads, I apologize. Just generally. Surely you can find a better source of entertainment?

Anyways, back on topic. This lack of leadership appears in varying degrees to be common to many democracies. I suspect the media (more in terms of the changing nature of information delivery than in terms of demonizing the media itself), our own lack of coherent and consistent personal ideologies, and the tyranny of short term opinion poll results leads to various levels of popularism, and the unwillingness to take hard stands for the longer term good, at least in some cases. I see clear signs of this in Greece at the moment, to be honest.

Our most recent rage-inducer here in Oz is a thing called the Border Force Protection Act. There are perhaps some legitimate issues it attempts to address, although I am yet to be convinced of that. But what it does do, in it's clumsy broad-brush way, is make it illegal for healthcare professionals in our immigrant detention centres to speak out on conditions in said centres. If you're a doctor, and you start commenting on the rates of child abuse in those centres, you are liable for 2 years gaol. Yay! Democracy at work!

Best of all this ideologically indefensible pile of dross got bipartisan support.

Open letter on the Border Force Act: 'We challenge the department to prosecute' | Australia news | The Guardian

Doctors at said centres wrote the government an open letter basically daring them to gaol them under the Act for speaking out. My respect for the profession was renewed. For our major political parties? Not so much.

I'm basically a centrist. A swinging voter, if you will. I try as hard as I can to vote based on issues and performance, whilst acknowledging a slight left bias ideologically, and a slight right bias economically. But being a centrist doesn't mean I like seeing the major parties here agree to this sort of rubbish legislation on a bipartisan level. I swear, if I see one party able to treat people as people, AND show some sort of effective economic planning, I'm jumping on them. I don't even care at this point if they're Communists, Fascists, or rampant fundamentalist Rastafarians.

Can someone please, PLEASE show some basic and coherent leadership!!!???
All I want are one or two pieces of legislation that appear to be good for humanity, and a general economic policy that keeps one eye on the future. I'm not expecting perfection!

 

[idea]

In the US it is supposed to be "by the people" not "by the president", so in my opinion a good president is not a leader at all, but a follower - someone who follows the will of the people.

 

[Thief]

I was taking a break at work, sitting beside someone who could pass for the look of Moses.....
and out of nowhere he makes comment.....

We don't have statesmen any more.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I was taking a break at work, sitting beside someone who could pass for the look of Moses.....
and out of nowhere he makes comment.....

We don't have statesmen any more.

That's not a bad way to put it.

 

[Laika]

I'm basically a centrist. A swinging voter, if you will. I try as hard as I can to vote based on issues and performance, whilst acknowledging a slight left bias ideologically, and a slight right bias economically. But being a centrist doesn't mean I like seeing the major parties here agree to this sort of rubbish legislation on a bipartisan level. I swear, if I see one party able to treat people as people, AND show some sort of effective economic planning, I'm jumping on them. I don't even care at this point if they're Communists, Fascists, or rampant fundamentalist Rastafarians.

Can someone please, PLEASE show some basic and coherent leadership!!!???
All I want are one or two pieces of legislation that appear to be good for humanity, and a general economic policy that keeps one eye on the future. I'm not expecting perfection!

I would be happy in the centre-left, and would want the government(s) to focus on climate change as that is something that affects us all. But the sheer level of institutional resistence means that it is plausible the system will crash unless someone kicks the whole political system into gear and gets stuff done. that's kept pushing me further and further left. it would be far better for everyone if it didn't of course as these things are great to read about in history books but aweful to live through.

In the UK earlier this year, the UK independence party and the Green Party did well in the polls (about 5 million votes together) but got 2 seats between them. The Scottish Nationalists got a landslide with about 1.5 million votes, but that's down to the absurdity of the first past the post system. I was stunned (like just about everyone else) that Labour lost so badly, but it is fair to say that Ed Miliband didn't have the momentum behind him become primeminster. he would have been preferable to the Conservatives, but really I've given up trying to tell the difference between them.

The fact the US looks set to have a stage managed election in which Hillary Clinton becomes president because she represents the established interests is both frustrating and deeply worrying, as without radical US leadership on this issue it is unlikely that the world will avoid serious climate change by the mid-latter half of this century. We need Bernie Sanders to win in the US presisdential election in 2016 basically to have a chance to turn this around. "bussiness as usual" is not an option but that seems to be precisely what we are going to get. it's a disaster waiting to happen.

Anyways, back on topic. This lack of leadership appears in varying degrees to be common to many democracies. I suspect the media (more in terms of the changing nature of information delivery than in terms of demonizing the media itself), our own lack of coherent and consistent personal ideologies, and the tyranny of short term opinion poll results leads to various levels of popularism, and the unwillingness to take hard stands for the longer term good, at least in some cases. I see clear signs of this in Greece at the moment, to be honest.

What happening in Greece appears to be that Syriza is stalling for time and trying desperately NOT to leave the Eurozone as the country is pushed into the ground. The two major parties got 64.15% of the vote. If they don't sort themselves out and the situation deterioates, in a few years they'll end up with the Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn as they got 6.28% of the vote in the 2015 elections and came third and the greek Communists (KKE) are trailing behind on 5.47% in fifth place. so they'll rip the country apart unless they actually "do something". Cynically, I'd say its a 'test case' for whether the ruling class is actually willing to reform (such as the EU and the IMF) when it is blatently obvious it needs too. I'm admittedly shocked by how much they keep pushing austerity as its a death wish for a country that is already on its knees.

 

[Wirey]

Instead of lack of leadership, say moronic populace and you'll be closer. Politicians know if they do what's right, we'll freak. Reduce carbon emissions? But the oil companies say they'll go away! Gun control? The NRA says that gun control means you'll be able to arrest me if I break the law! We're all morons, and the pols are in it for a buck, so they play us like morons.

 

[Revoltingest]

I like a lack of leadership.
It keeps things from happening quickly.
Consider how things would be if GW Bush were less effective.
You wouldn't have to endure my continual carping about the wars.

Of course this is a double edged sword.
Were Obama more of a leader, he might've immediately ended those wars upon entering office.

 

[Underhill]

I was taking a break at work, sitting beside someone who could pass for the look of Moses.....
and out of nowhere he makes comment.....

We don't have statesmen any more.

How much of this is the result of bad leadership and how much is the result of too much exposure?

It's hard for a president, or any leader, to be stately and imposing when every move is publicized and analyzed. 50 years ago leaders could control their image to an extent that is just not possible these days.

 

[Thief]

How much of this is the result of bad leadership and how much is the result of too much exposure?

It's hard for a president, or any leader, to be stately and imposing when every move is publicized and analyzed. 50 years ago leaders could control their image to an extent that is just not possible these days.

ok....personal privacy is more a problem than ever.....but....

When standing behind the podium....public leaders DO need to be firm.
I had to agree with my coworker....
No one speaks of serious intent and goals.

Nowadays, the speaker tends to be politically correct.
as if someone might throw a shoe at him at any moment!!!!!!!!

 

[Underhill]

ok....personal privacy is more a problem than ever.....but....

When standing behind the podium....public leaders DO need to be firm.
I had to agree with my coworker....
No one speaks of serious intent and goals.

Nowadays, the speaker tends to be politically correct.
as if someone might throw a shoe at him at any moment!!!!!!!!

I see that too as the result of our media. Every time someone says something even remotely controversial, the media makes a circus of it.

I've often wondered if someone like Roosevelt or Churchill were around today if they would be seen the same way, or even been able to run for office in this climate.