The Boston Globe reports today scientists are confirming that - get this - following your gut instincts is the best way to make a decision. I'm thinking mandatory cloture within 72 hours of commencement for all state and federal legislative debates, and especially federal judicial confirmation hearings, unless the legislative body can summon a five-sixths majority to extend debate another 48 hours.

I'm just shooting from the hip here, of course, but wouldn't that force these gassy buzzards we elect to actually focus their thinking? You know: like, do we really need state legislation to teach kids how to balance their check books and avoid credit card debt? Do we really want to add to the multi-billion-dollar loopholes in the federal tax code for Archer Daniels Midland and the Ethanol Mafia?

Up or down? Now! And so forth.

Let's apply the "Blink" model of snap-decision making, described so well by Malcolm Gladwell in his book of the same name, to a few pressing public policy issues.

Iraq: Which "Blink" paradigm wins here? You tell me.

A) Let's announce our withdrawal date and get out soon. We're just pissing off the world and making the terorrists mad.

B) Al-Qaeda needs to be crushed, and you don't announce you're quitting a war until it's won.

Universal Health Care:

A) The only compassionate response to health-care disparities is a national, single-payer plan.

B) Where do Canadian politicians go for surgery?

Homelessness:

A) There but for the grace of God, go I, and thou.

B) There but for a lifetime of hard work and a network of supportive family relationships go I.

Child Sexual Abusers:

A) We must not hastily stiffen penalties - that could keep some families from turning in abusive relatives. More funds for treatment programs are needed, too.

B) Lock these sickos up with a 400-pound gay Samoan murderer, for life. If you let them out, they only go back to their old tricks.

If you answered "B" in each case, you are obviously bold and brilliant.

There are a number of issues on which I disagree with President Bush, but the secret to his survival amidst fierce criticism and great pressures is his incisive and instinctive processing of complicated issues. His critics see this as a stunted intellect. The very nuanced John Kerry knows better, though.

Another guy who cuts right to the heart of things is Rudy Giuliani, a role model even for gay, tatooed conservatives in Vancouver. Maybe the national GOP should take a hint from the Republicans of Washington state: in a recent Strategic Vision poll, Rudy was the top pick among potential '08 Republican candidates for president. McCain trailed by a few points, doubtless because he thought too long before coming up with McCain-Feingold.

Even so, McCain proves the "Blink" rule to me. McCain-Feingold may indeed be an unravelling train wreck, but my gut told me a long time ago, and still does, that McCain is a man of conscience, and a strong leader. Your gut tells you what it tells you about politicians; it doesn't parse the interest group scorecards.

TECHNORATI TAGS: SNAP DECISIONS, BLINK, MALCOLM GLADWELL, POLITICS, SUPREME COURT NOMINATIONS, CLOTURE, PRESIDENT, BUSH, 2008, RUDOLPH GIULIANI, JOHN McCAIN, McCAIN-FEINGOLD, CITY JOURNAL, JOHN KERRY, ETHANOL

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at February 17, 2006 10:46 AM

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