Kicking our habit: The trouble with politics in our time

In the last couple years I’ve come to regard modern politics as a drug. You take the “politics opiate” for a reason you regard as good — the future of your country or community, issues close to your heart, a cause of some importance.

But it doesn’t take long before you can find yourself in politics for the thrill of victory, the fear of defeat, the drumbeat of endless speculation and process. At some point you look to the media and local political organization not for information or action, but for a constant, syrupy reassurance of your political worldview and ego.

And you hope you’re one of the ones who doesn’t get caught up in the nonsense. You’re different. You’re right. You will prevail.

You’re kidding yourself. Or at least I was.

There are some serious problems in American democracy today, most of them related to the way Americans interact with their democracy. The country has a long history of partisanship, but I think you could argue that our partisanship hasn’t been so ideological since just before the Civil War. The parties are no longer just organizational hubs, they are religious identities.

Further, now that we live in the Information Age our remarkable, malleable, enduring capitalistic republic has reverted to a form of “political-entertainment-as-government,” if only because in this moment that system is both the most profitable and easiest for traditional power brokers to manipulate. A constant campaign between groups that hate each other keeps people watching, political groups spending and leaders putting off big decisions until the next big election, when conditions might be better for their side.

Perhaps it has always been this way? I read a lot of history, though. I talk to a lot of old timers. This feels new.

This past Tuesday I watched the results of the Iowa Republican caucuses pour in. Much like a football game, I watched with great interest even though I don’t live in Iowa and am not a Republican. I still expect to vote for President Obama, although for very different reasons than four years ago. Nevertheless, I hooked myself up to the 24/7 political drug IV of TV news for a night and, boy, it felt like a relapse — a careening fall back into the abyss of anxious worriment.

I was pulling for Ron Paul. I disagree with his central premise, that a robust federal government should be all but abolished, but I appreciate how evenly and thoughtfully he applies his views to his policy proposals. I like that he is running on an idea, not just because his election would be good for him personally. And I agree with him profoundly on the need to decommission the military industrial complex. Naturally, Paul lost.

But in a free moment Tuesday I decided to go back to some of the things I wrote in January 2008 when I was wrapped up in the excitement of that election. I even “endorsed” candidates in the GOP and Democratic caucuses — which is kind of ridiculous in retrospect. I did get the race I wanted, eventually — Obama vs. McCain — but that race didn’t play out as the civil, high-minded affair that I hoped for.

At the time I supported Obama because I thought he was a candidate for “our times.” Like many I think I thought he’d elevate discourse, soften the partisan divide, change the dynamic in a broken Washington and media complex. None of that really happened. A lot of blame can be laid at the feet of Republican obstructionism and the flame-fanning media, but I thought Obama could overcome that. He didn’t.

Obama did score some policy victories, however. Because of our reactionary times, those victories cost Democrats the House, and might cost them the Senate and even the White House in ’12 (though I bet not), but he did accomplish core gains on health care, righted the economic collapse of President Bush’s last year in office, and has been a remarkably adept foreign policy leader.

You’d wish health care reform was better — less costly, less cumbersome, and creating the necessary detachment between health care coverage and your employer. You’d wish the economy was better — it still isn’t very good and far too many people are stuck in a rut, fighting for survival. You’d wish we were out of Afghanistan just as we’re now out of Iraq, that American interests were buoyed in China, Europe, Russia and beyond. We wish for these things and will get them, eventually. And when they come the leaders who achieve them will stand on the shoulders of Obama’s policies, even if they curse Obama’s name.

Obama is a leader for our times, as I said in 2008, but not because he’s magic, as I and others thought at the time. He is a leader for our times because he is pragmatic and skilled in surfing on the waves of nonsense our times produce. It is possible that Mitt Romney could beat him. But Romney is certainly pragmatic, too, although I find him to be a bit more of the calculating and disingenuous type. And this is the sort of people our times produce. Radical fireballers who can’t govern and pragmatic politicians who struggle to deliver tiny doses of pragmatism to an angry and frustrated republic.

If conservatives wanted real change, meaningful reforms to the federal government, the only candidate who would actually do that seems to be Paul. Romney will parrot the talking points of right-wing talk radio, but would probably be a very similar president to Obama, throwing occasional bones to his base instead of the left. Further, I believe Obama to be more capable of delivering long term entitlement reform and an enduring budget solution — one that includes taxes and cuts.

For that reason I think Obama will win, but who knows? Our times are strange indeed. To break the cycle, a lot of us would have to decide to utterly change the way we think about politics, something I hope for in coming years.

Comments

  1. Obama himself called the 2010 mid-term elections a well deserved “shellacking”. He’s done nothing to prevent another shellacking this fall.

    As you mention, his banner accomplishment, ObamaCare, is distained by the majority of Americans.

    He’s wastefully spent us into a debt level the world has never known.

    His lack of leadership has made us the laughingstock of the world.

    And he continues to destroy American initiative and spirit through ever-expanding no-need-to-work welfare programs.

    The writings on the wall. His vote total will mirror his leadership approval level…a meager minority. Thank God!

  2. The shellacking was related to the economic collapse and frustration that efforts to fix it weren’t working and, we were told by the GOP, were making things worse. This is arguable, but I believe to be false and is being demonstrated by our (albeit very slow) recovery.

    The provisions of Obamacare are popular, except for the mandate. Obamacare is unpopular because of propaganda.

    Our debt is related to a crushing economic collapse caused by Wall Street gambling, encouraged by big business and the previous administration. That and our vast overseas war commitments and defense spending. The debt increased greatly during the first year of Obama’s admin, mostly because of residual effects and the loss of tax revenues from the collapse. He signed big spending in the stimulus, also unpopular, but kept us from 15 percent unemployment and even worse debt from lost revenue. He also signed health care reform which took us a tiny step out of the barbaric system by which the healthy are exploited for revenue, wealthy sick exploited for more revenue and poor sick are dropped.

    Lack of leadership? Talking point. He popped a cap in Osama. Took out a slew of terrorists off the list. Caused Ghadaffi to fall and helped create the environment by which Arab people started kicking out dictators once thought invincible. I’m not going to sit here and say he’s the greatest leader ever, but laughingstock? That’s laughable and could only be believed in a partisan fog.

    Welfare complaints? This is a tired talk radio argument. He’s not expanded the welfare state except to have been sworn in as the largest post-war recession had hit, causing more unemployed poor people than since the Depression.

    I don’t know about the writing on the wall. Hell, maybe your side wins, Bob. I don’t know. But if he goes out I hope your guys have better ideas than these tired talking points would indicate.

  3. Ranger’s comments,as usual, are re-cycled Republican bunk. If there is anything that has made the US a laughing stock worldwide, it is the Republican obstruction of EVERYTHING that could help right the country…..simply because they can’t tolerate a Democrat in the presidency.and especially a blck man.
    Ron Paul? Really, Aaron….wash your typing fingers off.

  4. One at a time Aaron…

    1)“A pensive and introspective President Obama said Wednesday the election was a “shellacking” and took responsibility for his party’s disastrous showing”. – Washington Times, Nov. 3, 2010 (the election was a shellacking Aaron, not jobs, not economy. As you know, it was precedent setting)

    2)“Most voters still want to repeal the national health care law. The latest Rasmussen Reports survey shows that 55% of U.S. Voters favor repeal of the health care law passed by Congress in March 2010, while 35% oppose repeal. The intensity remains on the side of the law’s opponents since these findings include 42% who Strongly Favor repeal versus 26% who are Strongly Opposed”. – Rasmussen, Dec. 26, 2011 (not propaganda…just the facts)

    3)“Kept us from 15% unemployment”? There’s no data to back up that statement Aaron so…why not say he kept us from 20%, 30%, hell 50%. But, back to the point…Obama’s lack of leadership has led to one of the weakest recoveries of all time. “Of the 11 U.S. recessions after World War II and before the most recent downturn, all but one were followed by recoveries that were more rapid than the decline, according to research by economists Michael D. Bordo and Joseph Haubrich” – Washington Post, Aug. 19, 2011 (facts, data)

    4)“Barely half of Americans say the leaders of other countries have a great deal (18%) or a fair amount (35%) of respect for Barack Obama, while 29% think he gets “not much” respect from fellow world leaders and 18% think he gets no respect at all”. – Economist. May 17, 2011

    U.S. Image percent favorable: Germany 2000 – 78%, Germany 2011 – 62%. Great Britain 2000 – 83%, Great Britain 2011 – 61% (Pew Research Center, Sep. 7,2011)

    We were told that the election of Obama would make America more popular in the world and that his readiness to negotiate without preconditions with the leaders of countries like Iran and North Korea would make their leaders more willing to see things our way. “He was naive how much his star power,” Tom Friedman admits, “or that of his secretary of state, would get others to swoon in behind us.” – NYT, Oct. 24, 2011

    5)We agree Aaron…I don’t know who will win either. For your kids sake, pray it isn’t Obama.

  5. Opps, forgot about our new welfare state Aaron..

    “CNBC reported that social welfare payments now comprise 35 percent of wages and salaries this year, (2011). In other words, more than a third of all people receiving “paychecks” are receiving government redistribution checks via welfare, Social Security, Medicare or unemployment.

    In 1960, just 10 percent of the population garnered a wage from government anti-work programs. Now more than one in three of us do”.

    “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples money to spend” – The Iron Lady

  6. Well, we could just throw those free-loaders into the streets…and let’s not ever be concerned about the 1%,benefiting hugely from legislation bought and paid for by their corporate buddies….leaving what’s left of the middle class to pick up the tab.

  7. Provide some facts Jackie…“When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler.”

    You have neither and are simply hollering..

  8. Your “facts” are always cherry-picked, without context. Aaron did a fine job responding in detail Rasmussen polls are well-known as Conservative slanted …..and Tom Friedman ? Were you using that clown as a representative liberal?
    I found that using logic is next to impossible with those who are firmly committed to the Conservative mindset, no matter how disastrous.
    Do you seriously think any of the Republicans being floated for the presidency are going to do anything to help the average American…or America ,in general?
    If you are a part of the 99%,you really are dreaming. But if in the 1%,of course,the rewards will continue full speed ahead..and our nation will eventually collapse with few to buy the ill-gotten gains of those on top.

  9. 1. The “shellacking” is nothing unusual. Most presidents see their party lose seats in the first midterm election. The number of seats they lose tends to be higher in a poorly performing economy and when healthcare is put on the national agenda (see 1994). I’m too lazy to cite specific statistics to back what I just said up, but I’ve seen the statistics and what I said is true. Feel free to look it up if you don’t believe me :).

    2. Yes, but you’ve missed Aaron’s point. It’s true that people want to repeal the bill as a whole, but that’s because they’re confused about what’s in it. When people are surveyed about “Obamacare”, they don’t like it…but when the surveyor describes the provisions of the bill without actually calling it Obamacare, people say, “gee that sounds like a pretty good idea.” It’s merely a matter of perception. Make sense?

    3. Yes, there is. While you can’t prove a negative with certainty, basically every reputable economic agency (and basic economics by the way) agrees that the stimulus bill staved off a major economic collapse (and it did bring about more debt…that’s true. But in reality most of the debt was caused by a fall in government revenue due to the downturn as Aaron already mentioned).

    4. I don’t know enough about this one. That’s just me being honest.

    5. Welfare. This one is so obvious I almost feel too lazy to type it up. Of course Welfare spending has increased. We’re in the midst of a massive downturn. When a recession comes about, more people receive unemployment benefits, food stamps, etc, thereby increasing the amount spent on welfare. Importantly, this type of spending happens automatically (they’re called automatic stabilizers if you’re curious). It’s not as if Obama’s been saying, “let’s spend a bunch more on the welfare queens damnit!”

    Ranger 47, I think of what is happening is that you are mixing up perceptions with reality. Yes, survey data is important, but people are often confused/misinformed about stuff. It’s unfortunate but it’s a fact. If you’re going to talk economics, you gotta go look at real, hard data. Here’s a site I’d recommend to get you started if you’re curious:

    http://research.stlouisfed.org/tutorials/fredgraph/

  10. But looking back at number 4. Since you mentioned people’s perceptions about Germany, here’s quote from Chancellor Angela Merkel about Obama:

    “I would say that he is well-equipped — physically, mentally and politically for the presidency.”

    And she’s a quasi-Conservative so there you go.

  11. Let me assist you in your laziness Tony…(you wouldn’t be one of the 35% picking up a monthly government check now, would you?)

    This should put the 2010 blowout in good historical context.

    No one has had such a midterm drubbing since FDR back in 1938 when he lost over 70 seats, 62 years ago.

    The 2010 election was really something:

    The defeat was worse than for the Republicans after Watergate.

    It was worse than for the Democrats during Johnson’s Vietnam escalation and civil rights upheavals.

    It was worse than for the Democrats when Clinton tried to push HillaryCare on an unwilling public.

    And twice as bad as when Iraq started to spiral out of control and Hurricane Katrina had devastated New Orleans the year before.

    Make no mistake..B.O. had it right, it was a shellacking.

  12. Facts are facts Jackie…no matter how they’re picked.

    As JFK said – “We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, and competitive values. A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood is a nation that is afraid of its people”.

    I sense your fearful of the truth…living in the dark will cause that.

  13. So what you’ve told me is that it was bad–worse than usual even–but that presidents tend to lose Congressional seats during midterm elections. I agree.

    Call it a shellacking if you like. I don’t particularly mind, but it says nothing about the efficacy of Obama’s policies. It does say something about the impatience of the public or about the perceptions of those policies.

    As to your question about me, the answer is no. I’ve been very fortunate, and I don’t require government assistance, but I also realize that not everyone has had the same opportunities as me. Consequently, I’m certainly not opposed to using some of my tax dollars to help out the disabled, the under-privileged, or the down on their luck. I don’t see why anybody would be.

  14. And for whatever it’s worth, there has been plenty of buyers’ remorse since the “shellacking”. Certainly no shortage of damn fools in that debacle.

  15. So Tony….as a nation, you might not agree with the “impatience of the public” nor their perceptions, but if we don’t implement their will, then who’s?

    It strikes me as either 1) you and Obama are still thinking “the stupid citizens simply don’t understand ObamaCare”, we just need to better explain all 3,000 pages or 2) you wish for the resurrection of Kim Jong…so we can just get on with implementing those policies we just KNOW have efficacy.

    I’m willing to suffer our current system.

    And if you think 35% of the country is “disabled, under-privileged, or the down on their luck”…you’ve been drinking way to much..

  16. Kim Jong … you’re a funny guy, Bob.

    And is that 35 percent figure too high in your estimation? Hell, 35 percent of this country is damn near retired and drawing monthly checks. But that’s OK, so long as they vote right, eh?

    I would nominate “I’m willing to suffer our current system” as perhaps the most accurate GOP slogan in history. For this I congratulate you, sir.

  17. Look all I want is to establish a dictatorship with me at the head. Is that so wrong? That’s a joke by the way.

    My point about perceptions was with regards to whether or not a policy works (or at least does what it says it will do). No, perceptions do not influence that. In other words, everybody can hate the stimulus, but that doesn’t change whether or not it works. So again, survey data isn’t the best of judge of the efficacy of Obamacare, the stimulus, or whatever.

    But I do agree that the people’s will should be carried out. We decided to elect a bunch of Republicans during the midterm election. I’m not happy that we did that, but I stand by our collective right to do so. And yes, if in the end, healthcare is repealed by the Congress, I won’t take up a gun and demand that it be reinstated or something. I’ll just continue to argue that I think it works.

    But it would be nice if people knew what it actually did. It’s not that I think people are stupid. It’s that they are often too busy to deal with political shit (I don’t blame them) or they are being actively misinformed about the components of the bill and their effects. For example, there are definitely things not to like about the bill, but death panels aren’t one of them.

    As for me drinking way too much, I find that entirely possible.

  18. With your nomination Aaron, you might, just might have taken a step towards greater wisdom…as the Greeks say – “He who suffers much will know much”. You’re welcomed into the fold!

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