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Is the "bully pulpit" a legit form of governing?

Is the "bully pulpit" a legit form of governing?

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radcen

radcen

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Is the "bully pulpit" a legit form of governing?

For the purposes of this thread, "legit" = legitimate = acceptable and/or preferred and/or effective.

One would think... hope... that everyone's answer would be the same regardless who is in office and which party is in power.
 
It's great if you have the intelligence on how to use it. ;)
 
Those who have used it well have proven it to be a valuable tool in bypassing a hostile press. Those without tact have appeared to be, has the term implies, a bully. In those cases, it has not worked so well.
 
I think it depends on who it is and what he's spouting about. No firm answer here.
 
It is the Populist's appeal directly to the people. In this day and age of a controlled MSM pushing a Corporate/MIC/NeoCon/NeoLib agenda, it is indispensible. It presents the only realistic alternative to a MSM narrative. Extremely important if the MSM narrative is untrue a/k/a FakeNews.
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Before mass media, the elected officials, including the president went to the people with a bullhorn. Often he was telling them that "You voted to do this, and your representatives want to do that. I want you to tell them that you want them to do this, not that!"

If we left it up to the media, they would be telling our representatives what they think is best for us from their perspective.

So get that bullhorn and give them hell!
 
radcen said:
Is the "bully pulpit" a legit form of governing?

For the purposes of this thread, "legit" = legitimate = acceptable and/or preferred and/or effective.

One would think... hope... that everyone's answer would be the same regardless who is in office and which party is in power.
Click to expand...


Acceptable? Sure. Preferred? Absolutely not. Effective? This varies based on various factors.
 
Would prefer that bully pulpit governing not be necessary, but it's certainly legitimate as a means of bringing a recalcitrant House and Senate onside, even if I might not always like the agenda being promulgated by it.
 
radcen said:
Is the "bully pulpit" a legit form of governing?

For the purposes of this thread, "legit" = legitimate = acceptable and/or preferred and/or effective.

One would think... hope... that everyone's answer would be the same regardless who is in office and which party is in power.
Click to expand...

Teddy Roosevelt

IIRC - Creation of the National Park system had detractors... His (paraphrased) statement was 'If there is no law preventing me from doing this the law allows me to'

In the right hands yes. Sparingly.
 
Of course it is. One leads by using whatever resources one can and for a democratically elected President in a constitutional republic that means using mass media to persuade or educate the population on why one course of action is the best course. This is simply leadership. The power is in the hands of the people and they have to be convinced, through discussion and teaching.
 
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