The latest travesty of power perpetrated upon America by Dick Cheney certainly makes this clear: the White House has reached the pathologically political stage - the one they used to be approaching. The only thing that truly matters in the White House is the perpetuation of power by those who have it. Ironically, this frame renders all White House actions logical - not right, not moral, not courageous, not anything but congruent with a warped, virulent logic that has infected Washington D.C.
Lou Dobbs asked today why we don't just ignore George Bush and get back to the truth? It's because politically pathological entities can't self correct. They're too infected. And such infection spreads largely beyond the observation of those who might halt it. Political pathology by its very nature is beneath the surface -subliminal sabotage. By the time Americans noticed, the infection had advanced beyond available cure. This is how I described such environments in The Secret Handshake:
Daily interactions are fractious, except among those at the top. Conflict is both long-lasting and pervasive. Nearly every goal is achieved by going around the formal procedures. People tend to distrust each other. Information massaging is the only form of communication. Out of necessity, people spend a lot of time watching their backs and covering their backsides.
Loyalty is the most important characteristic of individuals because so many rules and often laws have been broken. Exposure is the greatest fear. This explains Dick Cheney.
Unfortunately, the only correction possible at this point for this system is one of demise. But pathological climates serve the perverted interests of those perpetuating them. Demise is slow as the edifice was built to support subversion of rule and law, brick by brick, by obsequious followers expecting a payoff even if, like Alberto Gonzales, they expose themselves to derision and ridicule in the process.
If Barack Obama would indeed clean up Washington and be tough on the White House, Congress, and lobbyists, then the pathology could be halted. If every presidential candidate dedicated time to coming up with ways to drain the swamp, change would be possible. Before one of these candidates is elected, however, Congress needs to wake up. Most of us are creatures of habit unable to sense when we're contributing to dysfunctional or dangerous routines. Rarely has a group come together like this Congress so out of touch with how it enables the very infection so many claim to despise.
I wonder if Barack Obama knows how tough it will be to undo the harm that has been done? This will take what we used to talk about a lot - a paradigm shift - away from governmental pathology. Does he understand what it takes to overhaul such profound pathology? Does any candidate comprehend what will be required to make this government once again of the people, by the people and for the people? Will they be able to make competence and devotion to the job and to America more important than loyalty to themselves? Are they sufficiently introspective to surround themselves not with clones but with those who compensate for their weaknesses? Is there among them someone that is politically savvy but not politically sold? That's a very tall order these days.