by Frank James
Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously said in 1933 that Americans had nothing to fear but fear itself. Now it seems we've moved into an era where we appear to have nothing but fear itself.
President Barack Obama more than once this week has talked about the looming "catastrophe" that confronts the nation if Congress doesn't pass the economic stimulus bill in close to his preferred form. Earlier, during the presidential transition he warned of a coming disaster if a massive stimulus wasn't speedily implemented.
This followed the Bush presidency during which fear was used as a major motivator. Americans were warned of "gathering storms" and "mushroom clouds" if Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein weren't toppled. It was also the presidency that introduced fear in technicolor with its color-coded terrorist threat chart.
Of course, the Bush presidency went out with a bang as far as fear was concerned. Last fall, as the financial system started coming apart, fear of a financial-market meltdown led the Bush Administration to hastily throw together the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, to help keep the nation's banks afloat.
It appears we have become the new republic of fear, a description that once, ironically, was applied to Iraq.
The use of fear, of course, has its political and policy advantages. When the Soviets launched its Sputnik satellite in 1957, U.S. anxiety that the Russians would soon be raining bombs on American cities from space triggered the U.S. push in schools on science and math. Eventually, it led to the U.S. Moon landings.
In democracies, crises provide a sense of urgency and can get leaders who are usually at each others throats for partisan reasons pushing in the same direction. Fear gets things done.
But the problem with fear is that it often leads to hastily considered policy and regrettable results. Think Vietnam, where the domino theory fueled worries that all of Asia would be lost to the communists if they weren't stopped. The aforementioned Iraq blunder is another obvious example.
The TARP is now widely seen as having been bungled, in part because it was rushed into existence by a panicked Bush Administration and equally panicked lawmakers.
So fear has led to some real doozies in American policy.
There is something of the Chicken Little factor too. After being warned of one threat after another, and witnessing the often unintended consequences, many Americans can be forgiven if they've grown somewhat skeptical of the constant ringing of alarm bells in Washington.
This may be in part what Obama is up against, fear fatigue. That may be why fewer Americans are buying Obama's economic stimulus package according to polls.
Maybe a new and different appeal is needed, one that appeals to Americans' better angels, their hopes and sense of what's right for the nation's future.
Comments
I think it's delightfully ironic that the very people who condemned Bush for fearmongering on national security issues are resorting to the very same tactics, in spades, to foist this Porkzilla bill on to the American public.
That's change we can believe in. Yep.
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspirator | February 6, 2009 8:47 AM
Charles Krauthammer's column in today's Washington Post says it all:
""A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe.” — President Obama, Feb. 4. Catastrophe, mind you. So much for the president who in his inaugural address two weeks earlier declared “we have chosen hope over fear.” Until, that is, you need fear to pass a bill."
Posted by: "Dissent is Patriotic" | February 6, 2009 8:47 AM
With 3 million out of work in 2008 and another 600,000 in January, what fear are we talking about? To those 3million and more it is the fear of how they are going to survive. Does anyone really believe that if we gave the politicians 6 months they'ld agree on anything? It is just amazing how the very same people against this are the very same who were willing to spend more to reconstruct Iraq. Are you kidding me? Were mistakes made in doling out money in Iraq? damn skippy! If money is misspent on this, at least we did it for ourselves. At this rate in 6 months we will have another 3.5 million out of work for a total since 2008 of over 6 million unemployed. And no one "fears" this?
Posted by: bill r. | February 6, 2009 8:59 AM
Is anyone really surprised by this tactic? Think back to the campaign. I could swear he was already laying the groundwork for how bad things were even then.
Posted by: scottiesrule | February 6, 2009 9:06 AM
Is anybody afraid of eathing peanut butter in America today? This peanut butter scare is an appropriate metaphor for the GOP management. ............
http://thefiresidepost.com/2009/01/29/republican-peanut-butter/
Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | February 6, 2009 9:49 AM
As has been pointed out again and again, all that spending over the last 8 years apparently didn't work! So why does washington think that continuing to do the same thing at a larger amount will work this time? This certainly IS NOT "CHANGE"!! Its the same old politics in washington!
Posted by: Connie | February 6, 2009 9:52 AM
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Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspirator | February 6, 2009 8:47 AM
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I'm not sure that anything in politics today is "delightfull" even when ironic.
Posted by: John W. | February 6, 2009 10:44 AM
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Posted by: bill r. | February 6, 2009 8:59 AM
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No one is suggesting that Congress take another six months to hammer out the details of a bill, bill. If Congress puts the time and effort into it, there is no reason for the process to last anywhere near that long. On the other hand, demanding a bill for the President's signature by President's Day is rushing things a bit. Congress is a deliberative body, not a heard of cattle (at least, not until recently). As I mentioned before, rushing stuff through Congress leads to a breakdown in the deliberative process and turns out bad bills - like TARP. If everyone is so concerned to do the right thing to help people then it behooves those in Washington to let Congress have the time to write something that will work.
Posted by: John W. | February 6, 2009 10:58 AM
Hurry up and pass this bill before Americans learn how we screwed them, then I'll go out and talk about "change" and put the drones back to sleep.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | February 6, 2009 11:02 AM
Agreed, John W., but I try to find the silver lining where I can. ; )
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspirator | February 6, 2009 11:06 AM