|
|
|
Washington, D.C.: Thirty-six square miles surrounded by realityBy Ken Root I'm in our nation's capital city for a three-day meeting that should put me in contact with agriculture-oriented members of Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I lived here for five years in the early 1990s and have many memories of the place; some good and some bad. Most Americans visit Washington, D.C. once in a lifetime and are inspired by the monuments but, generally, hold the city in contempt and view the government as an out of touch and inefficient bureaucracy. Neither conclusion is wrong, but like our democracy, it is the worst there is, except for all the rest of them. Washington, D.C. was built as a compromise; we should well consider that as the base for everything that goes on here. It was the best swampland they could find between the industrial north and the agrarian south that would serve as a place where elected representatives of the fledgling country could meet for a few months each year. It is still a swamp in figurative terms, as there are deep places and shallow places and dangerous and disgusting things lurking just below the surface. If one comes here with great ideas of draining it, cutting the trees and bringing all dealings into the light of day, they quickly find themselves mired in its complex channels and sticky bureaucracy, to the point they give up and go home or settle into the tepid waters and learn the flow of the food chain. In saying all this, there is a method to Washington and there is merit in it being the hub of our central government. The framework of the constitution still exists, with great adornment, and the voice of the people is eventually heard. The challenge is those who are elected, appointed and hired to conduct the business of government have their own agendas and are influenced by their desire to remain in power, keep their jobs and enhance their careers more than they are by the people for whom they are working. Washington is based on incumbency and money. If you are in office, you have a great advantage over those who are not, especially in Congress where there are no term limits. My friends from the Midwest, who ran as Republicans in 1994, asked for votes because they were outsiders with no governmental experience. They are still in office, saying now that they are most effective because they are insiders with tenure on committees and an understanding of how to get things done. A member of Congress also realizes they need money to keep getting elected, so they require contributions to their re-election funds as the prerequisite to access, by individuals or organizations that solicit their help. Lobbying is considered to be a dignified profession in Washington, even though it is considered scum sucking by most of the populace. Lobbying, in its truest form, is presenting a point of view to an elected official for their consideration in legislation or regulation that may be forthcoming. The reality is that those who lobby with the greatest amount of money usually gain the most access and accommodation by members of Congress. Only a few organizations with a big constituent base in a large number of congressional districts, such as Veterans of Foreign Wars or the National Rifle Association, can gain attention more with constituents than with contributions. Here is why our system of government in this beautiful, hot, sweaty, confusing city works: The people really don't want much from it. That's right, we mainly want government to print the money, protect the coastline, provide a framework for business and stay out of the way. Most of the bills brought before Congress are contested by interest groups and stall in the bureaucracy to the point that they become irrelevant before they become law. The pending farm bill is mostly irrelevant in its proposed changes from existing law. As long as opposing forces don't deny services to constituents, we don't care how long they extend and amend. The marketplace is the major influencer and the source of revenue in these times. However, if Washington puts on an embargo, then it will get immediate attention and the power of business and the voice of the people will be heard and felt. Finally, Washington never acts; it reacts. Events, that they want you to think started here, actually end here. This town is the last resort to which we turn when we have a problem we can't solve ourselves. Monopoly in oil and meat packing were problems we could not resolve, so we took them to Washington. Pollution of air and water had gotten out of hand before we asked Congress to write the Clean Air and Clean Water acts. When we were attacked (Pearl Harbor and 9/11 come to mind), Washington reacted on behalf of the American people. We just have to keep this place in business so we have it when we need it. In the meantime, come see the monuments, get lost in the street circles designed by a Frenchman and marvel at how a place that creates no real product and offers so few real services can garner so much wealth. Our capital--love it, then leave it. Editor's Note: This is Ken Root's 34th year as an agricultural reporter. He grew up on a small farm in central Oklahoma and started his career as a vocational agriculture teacher. He worked in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri as a broadcaster and was the original host of AgriTalk. He has also been the executive director of the National AgriChemical Retailers Association in Washington, D.C. and the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Kansas City. Ken is now the lead farm broadcaster at WHO and WMT Radio based in Des Moines, Iowa. He has been a columnist for HPJ and Midwest Ag Journal for seven years. 5/5/08 Date: 5/1/08 Advertisement
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2009. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
Market Snapshot Inside Futures |
