Saturday, August 13, 2011

Style Over Substance


            The average American is no political pundit. Widespread voter apathy certainly doesn’t help the matter. Even my liberal friends that can be reasonably grouped with the intellectual elite are for the most part uninformed about important political issues. Many times I have had a heated political discussion only to discover later that the same liberal talking points appeared the prior evening on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show. It makes me suspicious. Are these intelligent, thoughtful, and educated people really getting their talking points from a second rate political program disguised as entertainment? It would be unfair to say these friends get all of their talking points from Jon Stewart. They do discuss issues from the occasional debate or interview as well. But you can’t complain about Republican candidates for having uninformed opinions about evolution and in the same breath criticize the Ryan Plan without reading it. If this is how “thoughtful” people approach politics, there isn’t much hope for the apathetic.

            The lack of informed voters creates a serious problem for a country where elections have political consequences. It is difficult enough for informed voters to make good decisions since politicians are often trying to tell us what we want to hear. It is too easy for elections to be determined by who gives the best speech rather than who does the best job. Those two people are not necessarily the same individual.

            One of the common criticisms of President Obama is the focus on style over substance. During the 2008 election, many pundits described the president as “articulate”. Although this word carries racial overtones when used to describe a black man, I think this description is intended to be interpreted at face value. The current president is certainly capable of giving a good speech. He may be having problems demonstrating this ability recently, but he has certainly demonstrated the capability in the past.

            Despite his recent rise to national prominence, there has been some criticism from conservatives of Governor Christie as well. He has provided fodder for frequent YouTube videos, and many conservatives applaud Governor Christie for his style. While no one doubts his fiscally conservative credentials, a deeper look at where he stands on other issues turns up some positions that are more aligned with the liberal platform. Some have complained that many conservatives are enamored with Governor Christie because of his style rather than his substance.

            I think too many people associate style with “empty suit”, and it concerns me. Although style alone can’t get the job done, style is an important factor in delivering on substance. Our nation has a tough road ahead. For too long, our government has taken the path of least resistance to lead us into the ditch we find ourselves in. It’s going to be an uphill battle to climb our way out. Just supporting the right policies is not enough. We need politicians that can actively advocate for the conservative vision.

            The importance of style can be seen in the contrast between Governor Walker and Governor Christie. Governor Walker has a lot to be proud of. In the face of intense national pressure and scrutiny, Republicans in Wisconsin have taken some important steps towards getting the state’s finances in order. While these policies haven’t been in effect for very long, they seem to be having positive effects on the economy of Wisconsin and the finances of local government. In spite of what they have accomplished, Governor Walker and the Republicans in the legislature still find themselves under constant attack from a massive pushback by liberals in the state with support from liberal interest groups around the country. Governor Walker himself has said that he has learned some important lessons about the importance of selling his policies to the people. As much as I like what he has accomplished in office, his performance in communicating his policies comes across flat.

            In contrast, Governor Christie has managed to accomplish quite a bit of his agenda despite Democrats controlling the legislature in New Jersey. He’s not afraid to take his case to the people in town hall meetings and on television. And when the host tries to set him up as some kind of angry, unpopular hypocrite, he challenges the narrative and knocks it out of the park with his response. Whether or not you think Governor Christie is presidential material for conservatives, you have to give the man credit for his leadership and style as governor. He makes a clear and compelling case for his vision for New Jersey, and he doesn’t get sucked into the questions loaded with liberal spin.

            As the Republican presidential primary approaches, I’m keeping an eye out for the conservative candidate that can also talk the talk. As much as we may prefer for results to speak for themselves, our country desperately needs a real leader that can communicate clearly and persuasively. For the sake of our nation, I hope that one of the conservative candidates is up to the task.

No comments:

Post a Comment