I just want to share this, because this morning I thought about it in a new way.
I think nobody ever talks about their progressive or conservative ideologies in Washington. What is there to say? They all know what they want, and they help each other get what they want. They all want to satisfy their supporters.
All those cronies (both parties) just hash it out in discussion, and they speak plainly about how they can all come out ahead.
"You know damn well we need to do XX or our base is going to crucify us."
"Yes, but if we let you do that, we will look weak, and you know it."
Some are getting bribed, while others are just trying to get re-elected, but they all share a common experience: They are doing what people have always done when they have a lot to gain or lose. They say to each other, "Okay, let's just stop and think about this for a minute."
The politicians do what rich people do when a rivalry begins. They work out an agreement. One rich guy says to the other, "Look, we both have a lot of money. Let's squash this little argument and go eat some truffles."
It's the same among politicians. Behind closed doors, they all discuss their respective narratives and needs, and together they figure out what is best for each of them. The lawmakers have no incentive to do anything real; it's all about appearances.
So, for example, right now Obama is arguing with the GOP about a deal for raising the debt ceiling. All the progressive people want Obama to hold his ground for once and not cave in to their demands. But the only reason people are frustrated with him for "caving in" in the past (i.e. extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, etc.) was because of this same phenomenon described above: Obama wanted to take progressive action, so he agreed to let the GOP seem like they were kicking his ass.
And in this current (theatrical) debate about the debt ceiling, they are just working out a deal where all of them get to look good. One side asks for enormous concessions, the other side concedes, and at the end of the day they just do what enables them to all look good to their constituents and the big financial interests whose junk they are secretly sucking.
But the difference is that Obama is an idealist, and that is why he has had a surprisingly productive presidency. How many times have you heard liberals expressing frustration with Obama? It's because they don't recognize his wisdom. He has high aspirations, so he does not even give a crap about looking good. In the
Tao Te Ching, something is specifically mentioned about the fact that if you are popular with others, you are probably a goddamn liar. (Not in those exact words)
So, yeah. Obama has had the most legislatively productive first term of any president in like 60 years or something. Don't quote me on that, I just heard it somewhere, and I'm not trying to be a big shot fact checker. How do you measure that sort of thing, anyway? Legislative productivity, I mean.
The point is, he has wisdom. Obama got the GOP to agree to all sorts of stuff by allowing them to save face -- and because the average citizen barely pays attention to the news, it is easy to frame the whole thing in a way that allows the GOP to look like a bunch of bad asses telling Obama what to do.
So, remember, the politicians in congress are just like the rich people eating crumpets. They say, "Hey, lets try to make this as easy on one another as possible." It's easy and typical for politicians to help one another look good.
That's why every time you hear a liberal complaining about Obama, it should remind you that he is a little different.
