Winning Ugly
...or victory in ugliness
The fight over the budget got ugly and was embarrassing (in the words of many of the participants on both sides) but in the eleventh hour compromise there was something like a victory.
This compromise only directs our budget to early fall. A bigger fight is coming over raising the debt ceiling, and if agreement on budget reform must be reached first, it is easy to see how far both sides have left to go before they make the crucial decision to raise the roof...
???
But we shouldn't lose sight that the victory in Friday night's compromise was compromise itself. Die hard folks from the far left who have been disappointed with Obama have been disappointed largely because of his compromises with the R's or compromises on declared principles from the election...and those who sent Tea Party and other like candidates to Washington last fall do not want compromise on the budget.
That second point is easier to demonstrate, we all saw the pictures of those protesting the budget fight with signs reading - "NO COMPROMISE!"
Sure, what happened with this budget agreement is not a long term solution to anything, but the agreement includes an important baby step in our current conditions of divided government. There are no general principles of agreement, but perhaps there is a path to compromise on the bigger issues. More importantly, the Speaker showed himself to be a grown up willing to work with the majority leader in the Senate and the president at the risk of rattling the tenuous coalition he holds in the H of R.
It is foolish to believe that Friday night's deal means there is a closing of the divide in this country's leaders over budgetary matters. But I think it is more foolish to think there will ever be an end to those differences either in public or in principle.
It is a sign that our leaders can come to the table, even at the last possible minute and do their fucking jobs.
Compromise one, Demagoguery - uh, well it ain't over yet.
The fight over the budget got ugly and was embarrassing (in the words of many of the participants on both sides) but in the eleventh hour compromise there was something like a victory.
This compromise only directs our budget to early fall. A bigger fight is coming over raising the debt ceiling, and if agreement on budget reform must be reached first, it is easy to see how far both sides have left to go before they make the crucial decision to raise the roof...
???
But we shouldn't lose sight that the victory in Friday night's compromise was compromise itself. Die hard folks from the far left who have been disappointed with Obama have been disappointed largely because of his compromises with the R's or compromises on declared principles from the election...and those who sent Tea Party and other like candidates to Washington last fall do not want compromise on the budget.
That second point is easier to demonstrate, we all saw the pictures of those protesting the budget fight with signs reading - "NO COMPROMISE!"
Sure, what happened with this budget agreement is not a long term solution to anything, but the agreement includes an important baby step in our current conditions of divided government. There are no general principles of agreement, but perhaps there is a path to compromise on the bigger issues. More importantly, the Speaker showed himself to be a grown up willing to work with the majority leader in the Senate and the president at the risk of rattling the tenuous coalition he holds in the H of R.
It is foolish to believe that Friday night's deal means there is a closing of the divide in this country's leaders over budgetary matters. But I think it is more foolish to think there will ever be an end to those differences either in public or in principle.
It is a sign that our leaders can come to the table, even at the last possible minute and do their fucking jobs.
Compromise one, Demagoguery - uh, well it ain't over yet.
posted by edP | 7:05 AM
4 Comments:
I like how you got a Charlie Sheen and White Sox reference into a two-word title. Kudos!
I cleverly disguised my not so clever (yet somewhat positive) thougts on politics in a pop culture/baseball title...if I've become good at anything in my old age it is hiding my wrongness
I'd much rather hear your take on things than any news outlet. I feel like NPR makes politics most palatable for my taste, but still too depressing, usually.
What a sweet thing to say...if you don't already, check out the PBS Newshour with Jim Leher...for years that and Washington Week are my favs for American politics and stories in general....esp the Newshour....there are fewer topics but longer discussions, sometimes this makes me feel like I understand something a little more, and other times it just scares the hell out of me. Good tv
Post a Comment
<< Home