Legal Commentary

Obama And Defining The Center

By Big Tent Democrat

I think this bit from Ezra Klein exemplifies Beltway Dems' fundamental misunderstanding of politics and goes far in explaining why even when Republicans lose elections, they gain ground in the policy debate:

For the first two years of his administration, Obama benefited from huge Democratic majorities that allowed him to get things done by locating the senator who would be the 60th vote in the Senate and aiming legislation right between the whites of his or her eyes.

"The 60th vote" generally has no idea where they stand on any particular piece of legislation. For the most part, they look to see where everyone else stands first and then pick ground between the two sides. More . ..

The President should take bolder positions to define where the Center is. Consider it negotiating. Republicans always know how to do that. Consider one aspect of the silly health bill repeal debate. By starting at full repeal and getting folks like Ezra Klein to demand they provide a "replace," the GOP wins. Why? Because now whatever they propose, no matter how absurd, will be a "concession." So it will be, in the weird world of the Beltway, time for Democrats to "concede" something too.

I personally do not know exactly what the GOP has in mind, but I do know that they would seem to have a fairly wide field of play on the issue.

Politics does not stop after a bill is passed. And neither does political bargaining. The health bill WILL be changed by this Congress. The question is how it will be changed. Sadly, it is clear that nothing remotely positive will result.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 20, 2011 (boomark / email).