America, the Insatiable

Among Capitol Hill’s most common platitudes is this idea that the average voter in Des Moines or Waco or San Luis Obispo is well-enough versed in Medicare law, derivatives markets and climate science to dictate the precise policies coming out of Washington. It isn’t true, of course. The average voter simply doesn’t have the time to become an expert on these esoteric things. Indeed, they send their representatives to Washington with the idea that those folks will become the experts — and that they’ll vote in good faith to support the policies that would make the country stronger.

With that in mind, there’s plenty of room to criticize those lawmakers who, for political ends, mislead their own constituents with false messages about death panels, or death taxes, or pulling the plug on grandma. And yet, as Congress spins its wheels over the most pressing issues of the day — and each party blames the other for the impasse — Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein notes accurately this week that the public at large also bears a share of the blame.

“[T]he truth is that on many issues these days, the American people are badly confused,” Pearstein writes.

They want Wall Street to be reined in, but they’re dead set against more regulation.

They want everyone to have access to affordable health insurance, but they’re wary of expanding the role of government.

They want the government to do something to create jobs, but not if it involves spending more money.

They want the federal deficit brought under control, but not if it means cutting entitlement spending or raising taxes.

They want to do something about global warming, but not if it raises energy prices.

Translation: Americans seem well aware of the enormous problems facing the country, but few are willing to sacrifice their own skin to fix them — a charge that could also extend to lawmakers more inclined to do what’s popular than what’s best. The result is that the nation is headed off of a cliff. But, Pearlstein argues, the leadership vacuum also creates an opportunity for strong leaders to step in and fill it — a fitting message in the week that the country is (ostensibly) celebrating the lives of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

“The reason we remember them as great presidents is that they threw off the yoke of party loyalty, defied popular opinion and used the full weight of their office to do what had to be done,” Pearlstein writes. “They understood, or came to understand, an important truth: that only after they had demonstrated that they were willing to lead, and lead boldly, were the people willing to follow and drag Congress along with them.”

Anyone listening?