Good article. Gerrymandering is the cause of our current political tribalism. Politicians no longer have to lead from the middle. I call it the Addams Family Effect. While inside the mansion, the characters are a little kooky and spooky, but normal amongst themselves. It is only when they leave the mansion and enter the outside world can a true level of spookiness and kookiness be realized (The Munsters, too). As well, I agree with your comments about the mission of defense. It is to protect what makes the USA great, which is not the defense, per se. Most bureaucracies suffer from goal displacement in which the true mission is pushed aside and replaced with self-sustainment. A need to stay alive and keep funding flowing. I saw this happen during the transition from USARSA to WHINSEC. We no longer were content just executing our mission to train and educate, foster friendships, and promote democracy. We had to promote ourselves as doing things we had no responsibility for, but got blamed for when things didn’t go as planned or there was blowback. The mendacity and puffery just blew my mind sometimes as we tried to be everything to everyone seeking political support and a budget line in the NDAA.
Good article. Gerrymandering is the cause of our current political tribalism. Politicians no longer have to lead from the middle. I call it the Addams Family Effect. While inside the mansion, the characters are a little kooky and spooky, but normal amongst themselves. It is only when they leave the mansion and enter the outside world can a true level of spookiness and kookiness be realized (The Munsters, too). As well, I agree with your comments about the mission of defense. It is to protect what makes the USA great, which is not the defense, per se. Most bureaucracies suffer from goal displacement in which the true mission is pushed aside and replaced with self-sustainment. A need to stay alive and keep funding flowing. I saw this happen during the transition from USARSA to WHINSEC. We no longer were content just executing our mission to train and educate, foster friendships, and promote democracy. We had to promote ourselves as doing things we had no responsibility for, but got blamed for when things didn’t go as planned or there was blowback. The mendacity and puffery just blew my mind sometimes as we tried to be everything to everyone seeking political support and a budget line in the NDAA.