The Increasingly Intrusive Nature of Politics at Work

Last time we pretty much concluded that talking politics at work serves no useful purpose. Our focus was on each of us as workers or bosses. We also briefly discussed how politics mixes with our Catholic Faith. And while some might make the case one political party or another holds positions more friendly to our Holy Religion, we did point out that no party can lay exclusive claim to our allegiance. Now let's turn to what we might call the increasingly intrusive nature of politics at work. Whether or not we talk about politics, and whatever our personal politics might be, there is nevertheless a growing intrusion of politics at work. Here's how we described it last time:

...the politics that permeates more and more of the work place. Ranging from federal regulations that influence company policies and procedures to the so-called "political correctness" that influences the way we talk and act on the job...

For example, the sheer size of the federal government practically forces business leaders to be more or less politically savvy. On one end of the spectrum, we find companies that solicit contracts to provide products and services for the federal government. These typically employ expert lobbyists to represent their interests in Washington D.C. On the opposite end, while most small businesses can't spare the time nor afford the means to influence their representatives in Washington, they've still got to deal with rules and regulations that effect their particular industry. If you're not sure just how these rules and regulations impact big and small businesses alike, think "Obamacare."

To take it a step further, consider the Federal Register, published since 1936 as a daily digest of finalized rules, regulations from agencies, notices, corrections, etc. Growing from an initial size of 2,260 pages, the 2012 edition came in at 78,961 pages. That means that each business day, government employees publish 286 pages of such rules, regulations, notices, and corrections. Every day. Each day producing new rules, regulations, notices, etc.

And this doesn't take into account similar state and local government's activities.

All of this activity ends up as political intrusion in our work lives, as each party vies to control more and more of not only our business activity, but now even our personal behavior in the work place. Even if you don't exercise management responsibilities to comply with government regulations, the scrutiny of your personal behavior, specifically those words and actions that might reflect religious beliefs, now fall under the domain of government oversight. The owners of that little bakery prosecuted for refusing to bake a cake for a homosexual couple not only suffered financial penalties for exercising their religious consciences, but must now undergo "sensitivity training".

Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, in Lakewood, Colorado was directed to change his store policies immediately and force his staff to attend the training sessions. For the next two years, Phillips will also be required to submit quarterly reports to the commission to confirm that he has not turned away customers based on their sexual orientation.

While this sort of thing reminds us of the Russian Soviet totalitarian state of the 20th century, this is happening in 21st century America. You need to understand how being a serious practicing Catholic puts you in the cross-hairs of those Gauleiters who have now taken it upon themselves to enforce the modern secular state's "religion" on every one of us.

Think I'm exaggerating? Think again.

Well, it looks like we've opened  Pandora's box that's going to require another shot at this subject before we can bring it to a close and move on. Next time, we'll continue this thread with the story of my sudden, surprise introduction to a "Diversity Executive" at a major American corporation...