What I mean by the Constultantocracy

[David Van Os]

Yesterday the chief political writer of a major urban daily newspaper asked what I meant by “consultantocracy.” This is the answer I gave him.

You ask what I mean by “consultantocracy.” The consultantocracy is the collection of unelected operatives who direct Democratic Party strategies and tactics from behind the scenes down the path of relentless failure. The consultantocracy operates in inherent conflict of interest because it is both advisor and vendor, continually advising Democrats that the way out of the wilderness is simply to purchase more of its wares, although the strategies, tactics, and programs it sells continually lead to failure. The consultantocracy's methodology is to reduce the processes of democracy to data, numbers, and the marketing of political candidates as packaged products. The consultantocracy teaches Democratic candidates and party officers to follow carefully programmed scripts and formulae in lieu of speaking and acting from the heart. The latter teaching is essential for the consultantocracy to be able to control the candidates' behaviors in order to conform to the packaged image that the consultant is carefully marketing. Through these processes, the consultantocracy comes to control the political process and the candidate becomes a prepackaged product without passion or authenticity. The citizenry, sensing that it is getting packaged products rather than authentic public servants, increasingly disengages from the political process. It is most amazing that Democrats continue to pay the same operatives over and over again for the purchase of strategies and techniques that turn self government into marketing, wreck democracy, result in continuing failure at the ballot box, and benefit nobody but the consultants, who cry all the way to the bank.

David Van Os
Democratic Party Nominee for Texas Attorney General
www.vanosfortexasag.com

[merci_me]

1. They certainly have stolen away

we the people, by the people and for the people.

I think we're very near the point of never recovering it.

I'm not sure just where it happened. Maybe it was with Reagan, when our government really became more of a movie script. Or actually, more puppet theater.

[Horse with no Name]

2. Very true. K& R

I am also cross posting in GD.:thumbsup:

[400Years]

3. K&R

[TomInTib]

4. David never fails to tell it just like it is. K&R

[WarNoMore]

So sadly true! K&R n/

[ceile]

5. K&R

[Nite Owl]

6. Why is it that they more

they lose the more they seem to embrace the same tactics? I really don't get it, it's like a death wish. Each time they lose they seem to move further away from the people they want to elect them. I truly resent being called a part of the 'looney left', the ones they have seemingly chosen to ignor, to separate themselves from while they still expect us to work our asses off knocking on doors and sending them money.
Thanks David, you hit the nail on the head with this answer. I wish the party 'leaders' would listen to you.

[rman]

7. Ah yes, the advisors.

Allegedly JFK cursed himself for listing to his advisors re "the whole Bay of Pigs thing".
Things have not improved since. The docu "Why we Fight" points out that now more then ever before think-tanks are a major political factor right beside the military-industrial complex. Think-tanks are major suppliers of advisors.

It takes a rare politician to not just see it but to also act accordingly and then to be a politician for any prolonged period of time.
More power to you, and please keep us posted.

[Czolgosz]

8. K & R

[Vincardog]

9. Lets klick the consultantocracy out

[johncoby2]

10. I agree! Who are they?

[Vincardog]

11. Read this thread

[]http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=180x29957 ]

[muse]

12. Exactly who are you talking about, David?

I am completely, utterly and totally confused.

I am so confused by this, it is as if I have stepped into an an alternate universe. Have I missed something?

[David Van Os]

13. They are

the people who do the things my post describes. They are real people.

In Washington, they are the parasites such as Robert Shrum, James Carville, Paul Begala, Donna Brazile, Stan Greenberg, and many others.

In Texas, I've known some of them for 30 years. Some in Austin are people I grew up in politics with. I've spent years in agony watching the consultantocracy develop. I tried to send you a private reply with more specifics. But DU says your profile is disabled from receiving private emails. Please email me privately and give me a way to contact you back. Or if you want to call me at my office, the tel. # is [phone].

One of the premier Democratic consultants of the past 20 years in Texas realized what today's money-driven, consultant-driven, media-driven political culture has done to put democracy on the ropes. He wrote an insightful book about it, as an exposure from the inside. His name is Glenn W. Smith and his profound book is called The Politics of Deceit. I recommend it highly for an understanding of how the political process has been so terribly corrupted. Glenn now directs drivedemocracy.org in Austin.

David Van Os

[muse]

14. I pm'd you

I checked my profile and pm's are enabled just not regular emails. ??

Please try and pm me somebody so that I can see if the pm thing is working!!! I got a pm a couple of days ago, but wonder if something is up since then.