NBC's Todd Trashes Dysfunctional DC Politics

Our political system is broken because professional politicians refuse to practice the art of politics, Chuck Todd, moderator of NBC's "Meet the Press," told PRSA's National Conference on Oct. 13.

While a typical person negotiates and makes decisions many times every day, politicians avoid the give and take discussions like the plague.

It was much different during the 1980s when liberal House Speaker Tip O'Neill worked with conservative President Ronald Reagan.

Todd said those political masters had to cooperate. O'Neill needed the backing of Blue Dog Democrats who liked Reagan and Reagan had to maintain support from the liberal wing of the Republican party and wanted to woo disaffected Democrats.

Blue Dogs and liberal Republicans barely exist today. Extreme polarization abounds. "If House Speaker John Boehner tried to work with President Obama, he'd be fired and called a Judas," by members of this own party," Todd said.

Money Poisons Political Well

Todd said the system is polluted by the flood of money from deep-pocketed contributors who now decide what issues are to be highlighted in elections.

Candidates don't own their campaigns, said Todd, adding that outsiders will spend more in the impending election than the individuals running for office.

The billionaires who are funding campaigns care little about the No. 1 issue of the day: middle class anxiety. Todd said the strengthening economy is not improving the economic lives of millions of people. He said Washington and its suburbs are doing well but go 100 miles outside of metropolitan area and people are hurting.

Vast stretches of the US depend on employment in hospitals, local governments and casinos--positions not providing ways to move up the economic ladder.

It wasn't always like that. Todd noted towns like Waterloo, IA, once thrived because of manufacturing plants such as John Deere, which provided well-paying jobs that bolstered the entire community.

Deere is now a shadow of itself in Waterloo. The local economy suffers.

Anti-Elitists Are Key to Change

The economic distress throughout the land has spawned the rise of populist Tea Party groups of the right and anti-Wall Street factions on the left.

Anti-elitists understand federal Washington is more interested in protecting its own turf and that of its political funders. Todd is amazed that a political moderate such as long-time Kansas Senator Pat Roberts can now spew anti-Obama rhetoric in order to save his own political hide.

The November election will not have much of an impact on status quo.

"It's not a wave election" set on throwing the bums out, said Todd. "If it were a wave vote, we would have felt it by now."

To Todd, it doesn’t matter if Mitch McConnell becomes Majority Leader or Harry Reid retains the job.

Republicans and Democrats share a common ideology, which is geared to their own survival.

The election, however, could plant a seed of change.

Todd predicts a dozen Senate winners will have been voted into office with less than a majority tally, easily surpassing the all-time record of five less-than-majority winners in a single election

It's hardly a mandate of support when "a majority of voters didn't back the winners."

Reform will come when an independent can galvanize support of voters on the right and left who are disgusted with the shenanigans. "Who wants to work in a political sewer?" asked Todd.

Change will arrive when the benefits stemming from the flood of money into politics are "dis-incentivized," said Todd.

Current gridlock benefits the private sector that lives in fear of an "activist" government that would put the interests of common people ahead of their own.

The NBC News political director said politics is broken and it's going to take a while before its put back together.

Todd warned: "Tumultuous times are ahead."