POSTED RESPONSE TO A COLUMN BY BELINDA STRONACH IN TORONTO'S GLOBE AND MAIL
Sorry, Belinda, but this is just a mild rehash of notions that the nasty wing of the Republican Party mouthed a couple of decades ago.
We had ambitious politicians blubbering about everything from term limits to instituting a part-time government in Washington.
The skills and experience gained by thoughtful politicians in their careers are not contemptible stuff and, in a number of ways, serve the public well.
The problems facing national governments in today's world - and I don't mean just the current economic setback but all the immensity of globalization and world-scale problems like global warming and war - are complex and demanding, not the stuff for dabblers and part-timers.
Indeed, the idea that people would move regularly from industry into government and back again can be a formula for even greater influence of special interests in government.
________________________________________________
I've always defended Belinda against the stupidities of people like Peter MacKay.
But that does not mean that I accept her as in any way innovative or creative or even effective.
She was a sort-of CEO under daddy's watchful eye, and she was a largely unsuccessful politician, leaving no lasting mark beyond a scandal.
So she is hardly qualified to offer advice in these matters.
And the advice she does offer is Newt Gingrich a la 1992.
Not impressive.
Again the formula of out of industry into government and back into industry is one for even more inappropriate influence by special interests.
Sorry, Belinda, but this is just a mild rehash of notions that the nasty wing of the Republican Party mouthed a couple of decades ago.
We had ambitious politicians blubbering about everything from term limits to instituting a part-time government in Washington.
The skills and experience gained by thoughtful politicians in their careers are not contemptible stuff and, in a number of ways, serve the public well.
The problems facing national governments in today's world - and I don't mean just the current economic setback but all the immensity of globalization and world-scale problems like global warming and war - are complex and demanding, not the stuff for dabblers and part-timers.
Indeed, the idea that people would move regularly from industry into government and back again can be a formula for even greater influence of special interests in government.
________________________________________________
I've always defended Belinda against the stupidities of people like Peter MacKay.
But that does not mean that I accept her as in any way innovative or creative or even effective.
She was a sort-of CEO under daddy's watchful eye, and she was a largely unsuccessful politician, leaving no lasting mark beyond a scandal.
So she is hardly qualified to offer advice in these matters.
And the advice she does offer is Newt Gingrich a la 1992.
Not impressive.
Again the formula of out of industry into government and back into industry is one for even more inappropriate influence by special interests.
