Thanks for your comment Alexis and forgive my delay—just home from travel.
With your background, I would be very interested in your views on how our political system devolved into a tribal hating game. Not long ago, I had dinner with Dick Gephart and asked him the same question. He thought the pivotal event was the shift from choosing candidates by caucus within parties to choosing them on tv and that the Newt Gingrich Congress was the visible sign it was going wrong. I’m more interested in the growing tsunami of information that led to the fragmentation of information channels/networks and the creation of narrow, tribal media echo chambers we all live in today.
Dr. John, you know I'm a lefty with many Republican friends and this didn't used to be an unusual condition in America. Heck, you and I met through Steve Forbes who has always treated me warmly and respectfully and even chosen me as a debating partner. I hear now about what an extremist Reagan supposedly was and I remember from childhood that ideological debates in the 70s and 80s were quite intense, but Tip O'Neil and Reagan did work together. Presidents on both sides used to believe in restraint not "what you can get away with." I think what changed isn't so much that extremists were elected to Congress but that Congress critters realized they could offload responsibility for unpopular decisions by abdicating power to the White House, giving up on oversight in favor of cover and giving presidents W. Bush, Obama. Trump, Biden and now Trump again, freedom to reign through decree and executive order. The system the founders hoped would be ruled by honest ideas in competition became a club sport.
So good to hear from you Mike and I enjoy your writing very much. I enjoyed our time together on Forbes on Fox. Some of the time it felt like we were overplaying our roles a bit for the audience/show. Of the people on the show I have fond memories of David Andelman, of Quentin Hardy and yourself for speaking from the heart.
I have similar feelings about politics. I recently had dinner with Dick Gephardt who felt that the ability of political leaders to work together took a turn in the early 90s when candidates were selected on TV rather than within the parties.
Thanks for your comment Alexis and forgive my delay—just home from travel.
With your background, I would be very interested in your views on how our political system devolved into a tribal hating game. Not long ago, I had dinner with Dick Gephart and asked him the same question. He thought the pivotal event was the shift from choosing candidates by caucus within parties to choosing them on tv and that the Newt Gingrich Congress was the visible sign it was going wrong. I’m more interested in the growing tsunami of information that led to the fragmentation of information channels/networks and the creation of narrow, tribal media echo chambers we all live in today.
Would welcome your thoughts.
John
John, I am delighted you enjoyed the book and very much look forward to our conversation on Tuesday!
Same here Scott
So, what happened between then and now? Loaded question, I know.
Dr. John, you know I'm a lefty with many Republican friends and this didn't used to be an unusual condition in America. Heck, you and I met through Steve Forbes who has always treated me warmly and respectfully and even chosen me as a debating partner. I hear now about what an extremist Reagan supposedly was and I remember from childhood that ideological debates in the 70s and 80s were quite intense, but Tip O'Neil and Reagan did work together. Presidents on both sides used to believe in restraint not "what you can get away with." I think what changed isn't so much that extremists were elected to Congress but that Congress critters realized they could offload responsibility for unpopular decisions by abdicating power to the White House, giving up on oversight in favor of cover and giving presidents W. Bush, Obama. Trump, Biden and now Trump again, freedom to reign through decree and executive order. The system the founders hoped would be ruled by honest ideas in competition became a club sport.
So good to hear from you Mike and I enjoy your writing very much. I enjoyed our time together on Forbes on Fox. Some of the time it felt like we were overplaying our roles a bit for the audience/show. Of the people on the show I have fond memories of David Andelman, of Quentin Hardy and yourself for speaking from the heart.
I have similar feelings about politics. I recently had dinner with Dick Gephardt who felt that the ability of political leaders to work together took a turn in the early 90s when candidates were selected on TV rather than within the parties.
Stay well my friend.