Adam Blatner

Recently John McCain, the Republican candidate for the Presidency, responded to controversy about Bush’s proposed 700 Billion Dollar rescue package by saying, “Let’s not play the blame game.” I was intrigued, because in many situations, especially in dealing with family conflict and other situations, it is indeed unwise and not productive to engage in simplistic blame. Blame tends to imply that by identifying the “blame-ee” that person would be able to fix it.
However! There are some few situations in which the blame game is exactly what should be done, and an upcoming election is one of them! Blame is a way of saying that certain parties have lost their credibility. McCain was saying in effect, “Don’t pay attention to that man behind the curtain!” (Alluding to what the Wizard of Oz said to Dorothy, and alluding also to the Bush and associates’ financial policies, which McCain supported for the most part). If blame isn’t intelligently assessed (i.e., who supported de-regulation), then it is possible that Republicans (the kinds who similarly believe mindlessly in de-governtmental-ization) will again retain control of the economy and continue policies that make money for the wealthy while squeezing the middle class.