Jun
27
Written by:
Jennifer Madsen
6/27/2010 4:09 PM
Few things evoke the same emotion as public policy. As an ever growing government creates new laws and mandates, more of our daily lives are affected. The difficulty for the common citizen is separating the emotional response from the rational evaluation of the rule of law. Often we allow our political ideology to interfere with the rational assessment a given piece of legislation or government action. Both sides of the political spectrum are guilty of the selective outrage and allow the emotional aspect of each directive to drive their ideology.
How do we overcome the impact of the “Age of Emotion”? Too often the public debate on policy revolves around whether an initiative is good or bad. Little debate is focused on whether or not the policy is best implemented by the government or within the scope of government. As we become more educated on various topics, we must direct the conversation. We need to ask the pointed question about what is the proper role of government.
This collapse of narrative was seen during the Healthcare debate. Liberal organizations focused on the emotional desire for everyone to have quality healthcare. No one wants to deny access to proper medical treatment to the sick. Conservative organization failed to properly frame the argument about the role of government in medical treatment. As we move forward, we cannot allow our emotional desires to overcome the rational understanding about government involvement in our daily lives.
Copyright ©2010 Jennifer Madsen
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