Democracy is supposed to provide a means of aggregating diverse views into a coherent, consistent outcome.  However, what happens when activists, interest groups, special interests, and other organizations start to understand the policy process so well that government screeches to a standstill?  Today, almost every political decision is blasted by some group – making it literally impossible to actually govern.

The response to this environment was in the New York Times:

The remarkably rapid progress of the tax revisions — without a public hearing or town-hall-style meeting — provided the most striking illustration to date of Mr. Cuomo’s policymaking strategy: information is tightly controlled, negotiations are carried out behind closed doors and the debate is limited to just a few people.

The tactics, derided by government watchdog groups and some lawmakers, have proved highly effective during Mr. Cuomo’s first year in office, as he has pushed, against long odds, to win passage of same-sex marriage, a property tax cap, a reworking of ethics rules and extensive budget cuts. And his efforts appeared likely to be rewarded again this week: The Senate approved the tax code changes on Wednesday night, and the Assembly was poised to follow suit.

While derided as anti-democratic, these sorts of tactics are beyond necessary in a media and political system that emphasizes outrage and focuses on the extreme.  Ideally, we elect politicians to solve society’s pressing problems through an open and fair process, where every citizen has the right to provide input and shape the final decision.  Realistically though, open and transparent government rarely provides the environment needed for politicians to actually do their jobs.

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