"Obama has not changed the political structure, he's working within it. Accusations about 'politics as usual' are not unfounded -- the agenda and direction of the country changed considerably on Inauguration Day, but the rules of the game haven't. President Obama's m.o., for the most part, seems to be built around choosing the issue, getting the best deal he thinks he can get, and then moving onto the next issue. The focus places an emphasis on problem solving, while leaving traditional power structures in place."
There's a significant split in opinion among Democrats in response to this pattern, and an inherent threat to Obama's legitimacy as a progressive leader.
Steven Benen takes the hopeful, wait-n-see:
"At least for now, that is.
President Obama has unique gifts, but overturning the D.C. political establishment in 11 months probably isn't a reasonable expectation. If/when health care reform becomes law, it will change, at a rather fundamental level, the relationship between the government and the populace, which may in turn create opportunities for re-writing the rules of the game. It's the kind of thing that will take time ... and a genuine, determined commitment. Time will tell."
Is Obama a slow turning, that is just getting started, or a grave, possibly fatal disappointment?
The question creates a natural divide, with many apologists saying that expectations for him were too high, etc.
I am sympathetic to this point of view. I admire pragmatism and a Whig sensibility, that preserves elites, but makes progress.
But, I worry. I don't think Obama can solve problems, and leave the power structure in place, or strengthen it, as Obama has consistently done, because -- fundamentally -- America's problems are its existing power structures.
I don't think a health insurance reform that leaves health insurance company stocks at a 52-year high is a good omen. I don't think a financial policy that grows the already gargantuan, largest banks can be a good thing.
Obama is not building new institutions, or undermining existing power structures. His health reform makes the promise of generous subsidies, but doesn't create a sure mechanism to fund them or deliver them; his health reform revises the rules on health insurance, but doesn't create an agency to enforce those rules.
Trading one futile, pointless, enormously costly war for another seems more like a step sideways, not forward.
It may be that there is wisdom here. Maybe these are baby steps, and one step will follow another, with increasing confidence. I'd like to believe that this health reform really does establish a principle of universal health care in our politics. I'd like to think Obama is committed to withdrawing from Afganistan . . . eventually. I'd like to think financial reforms are coming.
What I fear, though, is another a political storm, as the preservation of what clearly does not work, backfires. And, in that political storm, it will be the promise of progressive reform, which is discredited.
Perfect Storm-
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog. It has immediately become a fascination with me. It's some place I can spend some time, I hope.
As far as Obama goes, -he seems a less confident parallel to LBJ for blind drive. Each were chain smoking fools.
LBJ would have moved has fast as Obama, had the times allowed the swiftness of the coup.
Like LBJ, I see Obama as relentlessly driven to enact what he clownishly perceives as great legislative efforts.
Health care "reform" and "climate" engineering come to mind immediately. But everything is writ large with Obama as with LBJ.
Again, -like LBJ-, Obama, who is as crude a thinker as was LBJ, has no idea what thinking through great legislative efforts might entail.
Neither of these men are philosophic, or even rational. They are reckless, in a word.
Obama is a populist.
LBJ was a populist.
Enough said.
One can only hope Obama's similarly childish ego finds itself similarly staring into the grim face of defeat -as the time for making a decision about another term approaches.
Clearly -with the avalanche of mistakes about prosecuting the endless war on convenient terror, Obama again advancing warn-out educational ideas that have crushed inspiration and destroyed the potential of generation and after generation of our nation's young people, and, with the notoriety of the ongoing scandals passing for economic policy -there will be no doubt by 2012- that Obama has led the country into a depression far in excess of the severity of the depression that will -by then- be formerly known as The Great Depression.
In the mean time, if Timmy Geithner can unilaterally declare he will spend taxpayer money to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, bypassing Congress, -it won't be just Obama who is doomed to defeat.
We are all doomed.
Perfect Storm-
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog. It has immediately become a fascination with me. It's some place I can spend some time, I hope.
As far as Obama goes, -he seems a less confident parallel to LBJ for blind drive. Each were chain smoking fools.
LBJ would have moved has fast as Obama, had the times allowed the swiftness of the coup.
Like LBJ, I see Obama as relentlessly driven to enact what he clownishly perceives as great legislative efforts.
Health care "reform" and "climate" engineering come to mind immediately. But everything is writ large with Obama as with LBJ.
Again, -like LBJ-, Obama, who is as crude a thinker as was LBJ, has no idea what thinking through great legislative efforts might entail.
Neither of these men are philosophic, or even rational. They are reckless, in a word.
Obama is a populist.
LBJ was a populist.
Enough said.
One can only hope Obama's similarly childish ego finds itself similarly staring into the grim face of defeat -as the time for making a decision about another term approaches.
Clearly -with the avalanche of mistakes about prosecuting the endless war on convenient terror, Obama again advancing warn-out educational ideas that have crushed inspiration and destroyed the potential of generation and after generation of our nation's young people, and, with the notoriety of the ongoing scandals passing for economic policy -there will be no doubt by 2012- that Obama has led the country into a depression far in excess of the severity of the depression that will -by then- be formerly known as The Great Depression.
In the mean time, if Timmy Geithner can unilaterally declare he will spend taxpayer money to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, bypassing Congress, -it won't be just Obama who is doomed to defeat.
We are all doomed.