By J. DeVoy
Linda McMahon, a Connecticut Republican, took the erudite Peter Schiff into the political steel cage tonight and, while two combatants enter, only one may emerge. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your political affiliation) the winner was the former CEO – and wife of the current CEO – of World Wrestling Entertainment, formerly the World Wrestling Federation.
If victorious, I have no doubt that McMahon will take a steel chair to Washington’s spendthrift policies. There is, in fairness, little doubt as to Linda and Vince McMahon’s business acumen, turning a little-known professional wrestling outfit into a publicly traded global brand within 30 years. Something about how she earned her money by having grown men throw one another through tables for the entertainment of millions seems to validate the critiques many offer of both the Republican party and the United States in general.
For those possessing even glancing familiarity with professional wrestling, the jokes write themselves. For everyone else, it seems to be a day of rumination. The principles that guide our electoral behavior, if any, seem badly broken when style can readily triumph over substance. Despite the high humor potential in this situation, it’s too distressing to further consider.
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I agree. But beyond that, I don’t understand why our polity believes that success in the private sector translates to success in the public sector. There is really no evidence of that. It’s kind of like saying that a farmer would make a great chef.
It may be fashionable to trash professional politicians, but the truth is you have to know the public sector in order to be effective. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. That said, this race should be entertaining.
Agreed. The “run government like a business” meme is tired, especially since it’s impossible. Government needs to be more deliberative, and it has purposes distinct from a business. With that said, there is a lot of wasteful spending, however subjectively defined, that can be cut; moreover, there are a lot of worthless politicians. I don’t think bashing career politicians makes sense, since they’re necessary to mentor others, acquire leadership positions in important committees based on seniority, and use that power responsibly.
But off the top of my head, there are a few real do-nothings I’d like to see axed in November. And, of course, they’ll be skewered on this blog.
Au contraire, I would argue that those who have no experience in the private sector, conforming with the thousands of regulations that have been created to constrain business, should not be in the public sector drafting new regulations. They would be (to extend Mr. Miles’s metaphor) like chefs who never have to eat their own food.
I find Linda McMahon less of a source of concern or amusement than many of the preening idiots who now hold office. She could not possibly do more damage than, say, Barney Frank.
Really Charles? Over-regulation of big business is your major critique of Washington politicians these days?
Wow.
Big business bribes government to make exceptions for it, as we both know. Small businesses don’t have that luxury, and yes, I think there is a significantly greater weight of regulation on small businesses since this regime took control. The consumer product safety improvement act, to take just one example, is driving many small businesses out of business.
Some regulation may be justified, but I would prefer to see it created by people who all know what it’s like to be on the receiving end. By the same logic, I am happy to have a dentist who had to endure a lot of dental work in his 20s.