Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: New Yorker profiles Pritzker
Next Post: It’s just a bill
Posted in:
* This has always been true to some extent, but feels like it’s even more true today. And it’s not just a national thing. Look at the news media coverage lavished on a small handful of state legislators and Chicago alderpersons who know exactly what to say and how to say it to get themselves on the teevee…
“Politics today rewards attention and money more than it rewards actually getting bills passed into law,” said Mac Thornberry, a 13-term congressman from Texas who was the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee before announcing his retirement in 2019.
Thornberry likened the shift to a social media algorithm that serves up ever more outrageous content to get more eyeballs.
The people who do the actual work are usually not as astute about their media presence. Workhorses are rarely interviewed, and only rarely consent to interviews when asked.
The difference between state/local and the DC crowd is that being a showhorse here doesn’t usually get you elevated into actual leadership positions because fellow members know the game and just smile and roll their eyes. Out there? Way too often, the clicks rule.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 12:05 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: New Yorker profiles Pritzker
Next Post: It’s just a bill
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Only a matter of time beefier some nihilist casts a Speaker of the House vote for Rod Blagojevich.
Comment by DS Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 12:11 pm
Now as the world watches, being a show horse is a complete disaster (see US House Speaker vote). Naked pandering to an extremist minority (hating the opposition and not working with it) is an utter failure. This is the time for decent leaders to step up, who want to work with opponents for the benefit of the country and respect them as fellow citizens. May this happen.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 12:30 pm
Jim Jordan has NEVER passed a bill in the US House in 16 years.
His personal behavior has been so despicable to so many members on his own side that he will be denied the Speakership.
Jordan. Matt Gaetz, Mary Miller et. al. are not about governing, but chaos. These folks are not Conservatives, they are fringe element dangerous lunatics.
Comment by Get Real Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 12:46 pm
==This is the time for decent leaders to step up, who want to work with opponents for the benefit of the country and respect them as fellow citizens. May this happen.==
The problem here is that you have Fox News emailing members of Congress and essentially saying, “Nice job you got there. Be a shame if someone started calling you a RINO on primetime TV every night to the targeted base of your party and encouraged a primary challenge.”
Comment by Roadrager Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 12:47 pm
===The difference between state/local and the DC crowd is that being a showhorse here doesn’t usually get you elevated into actual leadership positions because fellow members know the game and just smile and roll their eyes.===
I generally agree with this statement but think that like many things in Springfield, sadly, the trend is starting to follow DC. There are also a million “leadership” positions now.
Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 12:59 pm
perfect post for City of Chicago budget hearings time. some little known alders ask great questions and there’s some ridiculous showboating by small thinkers. mostly it’s just an I did not get my question answered through the year not a what about the line items time. frustrating.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 1:01 pm
===ridiculous showboating by small thinkers===
Who then get invited onto Chicago Tonight, etc.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 1:02 pm
==more outrageous content to get more eyeballs.==
Joe Wilson turned the state of the union address into a Jerry Springer episode and presidential debates are now an insult hurling contest.
I hate to say it, but civility is dead…not to mention compromise being seen as capitulation.
Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 1:16 pm
Every play has a first…second… and final Act.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 1:37 pm
As Gym Jordan is finding out, the best skill to have as a legislative leader is the ability to count votes, not generate clicks.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 1:39 pm
True Dat.
People use mediums to form or confirm their beliefs. The universe of mediums for information has expanded tremendously over the last few decades. To keep up with this explosion, the MSM have increased it reliance on the traditional focus on the 3 “C’s”, conflict, criticism and controversy. Their reliance on “pundits” and so-called “experts” have focused too much on the criticism side of the practice. These are then broadcast over social media in a manner to increase clicks for their stories. To get clickbait they look for the political big mouths to meet their needs.
Of course, the propaganda purveyors of both spectrums - with the extreme right an asymmetrical champion in this arena, lap up the pablum from their side’s attention seekers.
Sadly, the workhorse of the legislative bodies are losing to the blowhards. The blowhards win clicks - adherents with wild statements, attacks and intransigence.
God save our country from this trend.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 2:17 pm
Joe Wilson turned the state of the union address into a Jerry Springer episode
Contrast the GOP reaction to his “you lie!” outburst then, and what they do now. How to become an insane political party in just 14 short years!
Comment by The Truth Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 2:21 pm
While the blowhard / work hard gap does feel like it’s widening, the august etymological pedigree of “demagogue” suggests that the phenomenon has long been known. That said, I suspect that there are meaningful correlations of this behavior with the numbers of voters that each elective officeholder represents, the costs of political campaigns and the distribution of wealth (specifically, of sufficient wealth to be a material campaign / PAC donor or donor aggregator) across the voter population.
Left as an exercise to the reader: the works of Cicero, rewritten as 240 character “trittilentes” …
Comment by ARepublicIfUCanKeepIt Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 2:57 pm
=== Thornberry likened the shift to a social media algorithm that serves up ever more outrageous content to get more eyeballs. ===
Its almost as if the fourth estate is more concerned with generating social media reposts and clicks of their content, than they are with the quality of that content.
Almost…
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 5:42 pm
===Almost…===
The word “algorithm” is not mentioned at all in the First Amendment.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Oct 18, 23 @ 8:03 pm