Managing the optics

The word "optics" is a politics term I've come across lately.  No exact definition, but my impression is that it is defined as the way things look in a political sense.

There are those who are looking for ways to explain the problems the GOP is having.   Let's look at the optics of the last two GOP presidents--- Bush 41 and Bush 43.  You see, I think that the Bushes are not that big on the optics.  Reagan was better on the optics.  So was Clinton.

With Bush 41, it began with the optics of the previous 8 years--- relative peace and prosperity.  No big wars, maybe a few skirmishes here and there, but no big wars.  There were the optics of a rising stock market, lowering interest rates, improved inflation, more jobs.  By the end of his only term, the economy had slipped into the type of numbers that don't make good optics.  Al Gore made good use of it at the Democrat convention that election year---"everything that should be up is down and everything that was down should be up".  Bad optics and a defeat.

Clinton's optics were good.  Good economic growth and lowering deficit.  He was re-elected.  Although his troubles with the Lewinksi scandal gave Gore some trouble in his election bid.

Now, Bush 43's optics were terrible at the end of his two terms.  He inherited a budget surplus.  He left with a huge deficit that was destined to climb higher.  Inflation was up a bit.  The dollar was way down and gold was way up.  He had a big war on his hands.  Then came the economic collapse.  By the end of his presidency, the optics wre terrible.  Peace and prosperity had turned into war and a deep recession.  A big defeat at the polls ensued.

So, what's happening now?  The deficits are said to be decreasing again.  Inflation is low.  The stock market is booming.  Gold has stabilized.  The dollar has stabilized.  But there are some bad optics out there for Obama.  NSA spying, the IRS scandal, and the failing ObamaCare rollout to name a few.  Jobs are not coming back like in recoveries of the past.  So, Obama's optics are mostly a mixed bag.  His approval numbers are not great, but not terrible.

If the GOP wants to improve their political fortunes, perhaps they should pay attention to the optics.

But that goes against the grain of principles sometimes, and the GOP likes to have everyone believe they have some principles.

Can you be principled and take care of the optics?  I think so.  You won't please everybody, but you can do it.  Reagan did.  So, it is not impossible.  On the other hand, the Bushes showed that you can appear unprincipled and still botch the other optics.  It all leads to defeat at the polls.