Jeffrey Biggs Quotes
Congress is not very good at explaining complex legislation to the public.
Jeffrey Biggs, Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House (Democrat), American Political Science Association, C-SPAN, Congress, the Press and the Public, Brookings Institute / American Enterprise Institute, July 6, 1993
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
The George W. Bush administration was a very ideological one as opposed to pragmatic. They would not tolerate public officials who would say anything that might undermine an administrative ideological position. In particular, they did not want government scientists releasing any data or information that was not totally consistent with their ideology and program. They introduced a new policy within the government whereby no one could talk to a reporter or make a public speech or deliver a professional paper without first getting approval of administration “public affairs” agents first. Government scientists and other officials had never before been censored like this. Important scientific studies were not made public where they might not support the administration ideological positions. See {614691}.
Steward, then a retired Army PR man, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, was concerned that Kuwait a wealthy oil country controlled by a small royal family, grossly undemocratic, where women could not even vote, would not be a cause that Americans would be willing to suffer causalities over. He was unaware at the time but a huge campaign, much of it fraudulent, was being orchestrated by the giant PR firm of Hill & Knowlton. That together with the low casualties and the real atrocities that the Iraqis committed, carried the day.
Compared this to public figures a century later where a major object was to “intrude” views upon the public as much as possible. Washington was not unusual for the time. Shortly thereafter Theodore Roosevelt would change the face of politics by reaching the public skillfully and often. Others continued the approach to public opinion and even expanded the practice. Today, we look back at the pre TR days and think of remarks like this one as “quaint.”
The public desire to know about and influence the details about diplomatic affairs is not just a problem of the 21st century. Here the Secretary of State describes it in 1922.
This is the earliest use of “spin” and “spin doctors” in a political context that we have found.
In the beginning of the 21st century political hyper-polarization made Congressional gridlock the norm. Anything that was acceptable to the Democrats would be rejected by the Republicans and vica versa. However, at times, the public would be impassioned by events and demand Congressional action. A movement for gun control after a serious of massacres with assault weapons in 2012 was the example that Thomas was using. If the legislative process could be stretched out until public passions waned, the normal gridlo{78528}k would control and there would be no reform.
Prior to this policy change, the Port Authority made and started to implement decisions and THEN held public hearings. The Port Authority is a bi-state organization that is the largest building authority in the country. It has built and operated all the bridges and tunnels connecting New York City Boroughs and the City with New Jersey and Long Island. They also have built and operated many of the major highways and recreation centers in New York City and Long Island. Additionally, it erects large buildings and other facilities like the World Trade Center. It’s funding comes directly from tolls, rents and other income from its facilities and the bonds that it floats, and so does not need any funding from either state. It actually makes a huge profit. It was started by Robert Moses, who wanted Independence of operation from the States of New Jersey and New York and the New York City Government. Moses was known for his authoritarian, non-consultative style, and subsequent Chairman tried to maintain that. Moses and the Port Authority had stayed clear of political influence and corruption. However, gradually the appointees were more and more beholden to the Governors of the two states and in 2014 a major scandal erupted where the New Jersey Governor’s staff was using the Port Authority to punish communities what did not support the Republican Governor Christie. This triggered calls for reform of which this new policy was one of the first.
