Jan
13

Hurting the accuser more than the accused

Lance Morgan

As some of you know, and one or two might believe, I am a registered independent. Please bear that in mind when I explain why people outside Washington look with disdain on people inside the Beltway.

President Obama today proposed merging six government agencies that deal with trade matters into a single department. It sounds like a logical thing to do and may streamline the making and execution of Federal trade policy. Good idea or not, it would seem something worth taking a look at.

The response from Sen. Mitch McConnell’s spokesman: “Americans want a government that’s simpler, streamlined, and secure.” So far, so good. Then: “So after presiding over one of the largest expansions of government in history, and a year after raising the issue in his last State of Union, it’s interesting to see the president finally acknowledge that Washington is out of control.” Argumentative, gratuitous and insulting.

A simple “This is an idea worth considering and seemingly in agreement with Republican ideas to streamline government and we look forward to seeing the details” would have sufficed. When are people in Washington (on both sides of the aisle) going to realize that demeaning every idea that comes from their political opponents, simply because it comes from their opponents, hurts the accusers more than the accused.

Michael Stopford

Executive Vice President and Senior Global Corporate Strategist

Brian Wommack

Senior Vice President

Lance Morgan

Chief Communications Strategist