Politicians don’t always have to change laws or spend money to achieve their goals. Sometimes their ability to influence the national conversation can trigger cultural and social progress.
People have often criticised George W Bush for failing to do more for his signature faith-based welfare initiative. Such critics measure progress in terms of laws passed and dollars spent. On those measures, progress has, indeed, been limited. But Bush has made prodigious use of one very important tool in a politician’s policy toolkit.
From the ‘bully pulpit’ of the Presidency, Bush has constantly reminded Americans that every adult citizen has personal responsibilities to the poor that should not be nationalised by the feed-and-forget welfare state. By visiting faith-based and other community initiatives he has profiled superior routes to social justice. Without passing a single law, or spending a dime, he has inspired many Americans to think a little more about how they, personally, can help a neighbour in need.
Abortion
Michael Howard commanded a great deal of press attention when he told Cosmopolitan magazine that he favoured a more pro-life abortion law. Mr Howard favours a ban on all abortions after 20 weeks. The Tory leader’s commitment won front page attention and sparked off a wide-ranging debate about the nature of abortion. Writing in the London Evening Standard, Allison Pearson said:
“One of my best friends miscarried her baby at 22 weeks. The tiny girl took a few minutes to die in her mother’s arms. One more week and she might have lived. How can we have a situation where premature units are spending thousands a day fighting to save 23-week foetuses while, down the corridor, a baby of the same gestation is being induced, then chucked in the incinerator?”
Such remarks may have begun a train of thought in the minds of pregnant mothers that saved unborn lives. Ms Pearson’s reactive intervention – and many like them – would not have appeared in print had a Catholic bishop, or anti-abortion campaigner, declared their position. Politicians have a big role in setting terms of debate on important questions and they use the bully pulpit too infrequently.
Media standards
The issue of ever declining media standards provides much scope for a ‘pulpiting politician’. Any legal regulation of ‘press freedom’ is treacherous but Hillary Clinton has shown that politicians can make otherwise neglected topics part of the national conversation.
Last one to uiltize this is a rotten egg!
Posted by: Youngy | May 15, 2013 at 08:34 PM