Politically Incorrect

by Dennis Green

Obama and his team of political advisors, including Rahm Emmanuel, who served in that role with Bill Clinton, have done just about everything wrong. And I say this as a politico, not as a moralist or ideologue. They made a classic mistake — mistaking horse trading for politics.

Because politics is not cutting the pragmatic back room deals, and no, it’s not LBJ twisting arms either. It’s creating the perception — the illusion, even the MYTH, if you will — that you are competent and effective, and especially that you are working for the good of the people.

(For a brilliant analysis of their failures, see Rolling Stone Magazine’s “No We Can’t” by Tim Dickinson, 2/18/10. One callout: “Folding Obama’s campaign team into the DNC was like moving Greenpeace into the headquarters of ExxonMobil.”)

So making wonderful, Lincolnesque speeches is not enough. And cutting deals is not enough, being ruthlessly pragmatic. It’s Show Business, folks! The whole damned show, the whole kit and kaboodle, has to be impressive and convincing. Because, if it’s not, your opponents will demonize the hell out of you. But if you’re aligned with the DNC and the usual “transactional” style of politics, you’ve demonized yourself.

Being right is not the same thing as being correct. Of course Obama was right that American health care is a disaster and getting worse by the minute. But the “sausage making” of legislative hard work has turned off the electorate. Leaving the details to Congress has been a disaster.

Health care, left alone, will get so bad it will cure itself. HUH? That’s right. When insurance premiums become out of reach of enough citizens they will all be showing up at the E.R. and eventually the AMA itself will spearhead real change, and have the clout to stand up to the other special interests. They’ll push for Single-Payer, Universal Medicare.

But the loss on health care may cost Obama not only the midterm elections, but his own re-election in 2012. That’s how ruthless politics can get. Just ask Jimmy Carter. And frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.

For in the meantime, the GOP has not exactly played its cards right either. Their approval ratings are even lower now than they were when Bush left office, because they haven’t presented any ideas or proposals or alternatives with any more appeal than the Democrats’ ideas.

Even voters who are not at all politically sophisticated are sputtering with frustration. And they will not simply turn back to the Republican Party they suffered with for eight years under GWB. The GOP is fighting over how big a tent it will be and the various factions — the Religious Right, the Libertarians, the Neo-Conservatives, the Madisonians — are all very different in their philosophies.

Some are big spenders, others fiscally conservative. Some want the government to enforce Christian morality and ideals, as they interpret them. Others want as little government interference in their lives as possible. Some are isolationist and protectionist, others are global and believe America should spread its values worldwide and confront communism and terrorism, (even Islam), wherever they show themselves.

So there is no clear definition of “conservative” anymore and no effective strategy for “progressive” or liberal agendas either. Most Americans, it would seem, crave a centrist, moderate but efficient and vibrant government that makes obvious good use of its power and our taxes. It may take a new party, independent of the Old Ways, to give us what we want. Obama’s campaign apparatus might have been that, but no more.

Until then, the Old Wayfarers will go on being politically incorrect, and failing, and flailing away.

©2010 Dennis Green