Dems Should Agree With Rethuglicans: No Compromise
A week before the election, that Passionate Man of Reason, Robert Reich, explained why Democrats should be as anti-compromise as the republicans:
Why are Democratic presidents so much more easily intimidated by the "move to the center" rhetoric after midterm losses than Republican presidents?
Because Democrats think in terms of programs, policies, and particular pieces of legislation. It's easy to reverse course by compromising more and giving up on legislative goals. Bill Clinton never mentioned the words "health care reform" after the 1994 midterms.
Republicans think in terms of simple ideas, themes, and movements. It's far harder to reverse course on these (look what happened to the first George Bush when he raised taxes), and easier to keep them alive: Republican presidents just continue looking for opportunities to implement them.
Republicans are also more disciplined (ask yourself which party attracts authoritarian personalities and which attracts anti-authoritarians). This makes it easier for them to stay the course. Their base continues to organize and fulminate even after midterm defeats. Democrats, on the other hand, are less organized. Electoral defeats tend to fracture and dissipate whatever organization they have.
Republicans are cynical about politics from the jump. Political cynicism fuels them. Democrats are idealistic about politics. When they become cynical they tend to drop out.
Message to Obama: Whatever happens November 2, don't move to the center. Push even harder for what you believe in. Message to Democrats: Whatever happens, keep the courage of your conviction and get even more active.
Read the whole thing.
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1 comment:
Solid points. Even the observation in passing that the Republicans are more disciplined because they attract authoritarian personalities is worth pondering.
Unfortunately, ever since Obama was elected, he has constantly shown a penchant for bipartisanship and compromise. With the Republican party of another era it might even have been a good idea. With today's obstructionists, fanatics, and crazies, it's a recipe for failure.
Obama needs to be reminded that the results of this election represent not a swing to the right but a collapse of voter turn-out. The number of people who voted was less than two-thirds of what it was in 2008.
He needs to be thinking about how to motivate the people who didn't show up, not how to appease Republicans who will never vote for him anyway.
He's an intelligent man, but his instincts are wrong for the era of teabaggerdom.
Many a time lately I have wondered how things would be going if we'd nominated Hillary instead.
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