FREE LUNCH AND FREE LUNCH LITE!

If Mr. Gore is running a “Free Lunch” campaign, Governor Bush is running a Free Lunch “Lite” campaign.  (I resisted calling it Bush Light!) The problem with this approach is that he is not skilled at this type of “giving” and is a shadow of the Vice President’s efforts.  Al Gore is true to his nature… Governor Bush is trying to be “me too”.

 There is a quality of honesty about the Vice President.  He is not a “New” democrat, he is not “triangulating” he is a old democrat and is going to be loyal to the teachers union, the unions in general and all of the other constituents of the Democratic party.  Right or wrong… he is toeing the line and throwing “candy” to each one. 

Bush on the other hand was trying the high road.  To lead this nation, build a consensus and get things done.  But when the candy started, he couldn’t help himself…. Had to do a little himself. 

If you are going to give candy…. Give Candy.  Don’t encumber it with caveats and warnings…(brush your teeth after, watch your calories, too much sugar might be bad for you)  Kids and voters don’t want the caveats or to hear about the consequences or the costs… they want the candy! 

Take the prescription drug benefit….  The average senior voter thinks he is going to get his prescriptions paid for if only Mr. Gore gets elected.  He is not worried that this new “benefit’ will require gobs of money and constantly “shoring up”, “saving”, preserving” with more and more tax money.  Just give me the candy! Medicare is in need of a major overhaul to correct a flawed and failing  system… and the answer is “Dig us into a deeper into the hole.

 Governor Bush talks about “helping seniors” with their prescriptions costs, he talks about market forces bringing down costs, and other ways to reduce the costs.  Governor Bush, don’t explain, yak, yak , yak… just say; We are going to give it to you!  Never mind the consequences, never mind the problems, never mind the grave consequences…. Give ‘em the candy. 

This whole genre of campaigns reduces the candidates to doling out gifts… and what is worse it reduces the voters scratching for the crumbs that may or may not come their way if this guy or that guy wins the election. 

Because someone says “We are going to give a prescription rug benefit” doesn’t mean we are going to GET a drug prescription benefit.  Nor does it mean that in the end that would be good.  For some reason we feel confident that what he says is what he will deliver and if he does it will be good.  No more bean counters to deny us coverage, no more doctors having to check with the insurance company… What we want, when we want and it is all free!  “Glory be to the Father……”

 Crumbs from the government was not what our founding fathers had in mind when they made the sacrifices necessary to get us going.. 

 To get a prescription benefit or convert any campaign promise into reality will take someone to lead, compromise, get a consensus and make a deal. 

 Mr. Gore has surely laid out the promises, endlessly.  But the problem is the leading, building a consensus and getting it down on paper to make it happen.  He comes with gifts, but does he have the ability and freedom to make a deal?   I don’t think so.

 Take improving schools.  Does Mr. Gore have the freedom from the teachers union to make a fundamental change?  The have worked for the last 8 years to get some change in Social Security and have not done it. 

 In the end, it will be a fight between gifts and leadership.   I would hope for the leadership ideas to win, but I know the powerful force of gifts.  But we cannot go down the gifts road to many more years.  Whether Bush can lead, I don’t know.  But soon we will have to have a leader, not a Pied Piper doling out gifts for votes.  Some one to say the hard truths and have the ability to lead the nation.