On the Short-Sightedness of Politicians
The Republicans are running around counting coup, crowing that the Democrats totally caved on the continuing resolution and talking about how much bigger their political cojones are than the Democrats', or something.
My question is -- given that this entire negotiation has to happen again in 3 weeks -- how does this make even a small bit of sense? All they are doing is firing up the Democrats to fight harder the next time this happens which is ... in 3 freaking weeks. This is like the Cleveland Browns publicly calling out Tom Brady for being overrated just before their next game. Are politicians so desperate to win one 12-hour news cycle that they are willing to bollix up the playing field for the next battle?
Mercury:
Most Trump supporters don't care how fantastic the Republican and Democratic parties feel about themselves or if they both destroy each other tomorrow. What you describe is purely a politician/media circle jerk.
January 24, 2018, 10:31 amOrion Henderson:
"Are politicians so desperate to win one 12-hour news cycle that they are willing to bollix up the playing field for the next battle?"
Yes. Yes, of course they are. Because they are idiots.
January 24, 2018, 10:51 amBistro:
What you’re saying is that having gone to the wall for supporting illegal aliens over actual American citizens, you think the democrats will be stupid enough to blatantly do it again? I hope so.
January 24, 2018, 11:35 amErikTheRed:
They'd be more worried if the average American voter didn't have the attention span of a fruit fly.
January 24, 2018, 1:16 pmPeabody:
Except minor correction to "Because voters are idiots". Nearly all politicians are very smart and accomplished. However, their goal is obtain power and get re-elected. That goal is only peripherally related to the goals of their constituents.
January 24, 2018, 1:58 pmCapitalistRoader:
It's called intimidation.
No, it's like the Browns saying that they mauled New England in the last game they played and expect to destroy them at the next matchup. Boxers do it all the time. Talking smack. Trump is an expert.
Mitt Romney, John McCain, George W. Bush were terrible at it. Barack if-they-bring-a-knife-to-a-fight,-we-bring-a-gun Obama was pretty good at it too. But Trump is better.
Note that I have no idea if the Browns will be playing New England in the Superbowl nor do I know the results of any prior matches between the two as I haven't watched even 30 seconds of NFL this season.
January 24, 2018, 2:33 pmmarque2:
I don't know how shortsighted it is when then Dems have apparently just today dropped all demands to attach DACA to any long term spending bill. Winning is rough. MAGA!
January 24, 2018, 8:08 pmJohn Smith:
It makes sense because the Democrats are likely to do things that make them look really bad again.
January 24, 2018, 8:13 pmme:
There's that, and there is the unfortunate tendency of Americans to treat politics like a sports event. "Doesn't matter if this makes any sense, our team won!"
Ultimately the current trend of hostage taking ("You like transgenders, healthcare for children and brown people? Hey, let me hurt these right in advance of a vote on the budget so that I can promise to stop hurting some of these folks in return for cooperation. Hurhur, you guys caved in so I am going to continue hurting the dreamers, weak fools!") in political discourse will lead to a realization by the Democrats that negotiations in good faith with Republicans are simply not an option.
Net net, this will reduce the rule of law and predictability of the environment we're doing business in, given that changing administrations will simply undo everything the previous one has done and shove their agenda down the other 50% throat without a thought to compromise.
We'll see what happens, but I fully expect to see really strict gun policies, large changes in taxation, loose immigration policy, mandatory sex ed, easier abortions and nationalized healthcare next time the Democrats take over.
January 26, 2018, 9:18 am