As the familiar story goes, after meeting in the White House with president-elect Dwight Eisenhower, sitting-president Harry Truman grimly quipped: "He'll sit right here and he'll say do this, do that. And nothing will happen. Poor Ike -- it won't be a bit like the Army."
Although Truman was being a trifle ungenerous -- Eisenhower, as the Allies' Supreme Commander ten years prior, was well aware of institutional inertia born of parochial interests -- he was also echoing, broadly and accurately, the long-enduring frustrations of his office: Congressional deadlock, bureaucratic lassitude, the political system's natural sluggishness, factional disputes, personal antagonisms, immovable ideological camps ... ad infinitum -- in short, every imaginable roadblock to progress.
Having been there, done that, Truman was, however, correct about most incoming presidents' expectations. No matter how well read they have been in the history of their peculiar institution, virtually every one of them has been shocked to learn just how powerless they can be, Gulliverlike, tied down and overwhelmed by swarms of competing Lilliputian objections.
While on the campaign trail, future presidents -- again, even the best read, best schooled, best informed among them -- start thinking their Big Mo will carry their Mojo into the White House. Their overflowing rallies and sense of inevitability confirm it; and that, in turn, creates a set of symbiotic expectations: Hey, the base believes, we really can do this, no exceptions.
Then the presidential hand goes on the Bible, Congress convenes, ballyhooed legislation is submitted, and somber meetings and committee negotiations commence. And generally it's at about this point in a new president's term that one starts reading passages such as this one, from the weekend NY Times: "Little this year has come as easily as Mr. Obama and his team once imagined."
It -- the immutable reality of Washington's ways -- nails them every time.
Also at this point, having recovered from the transcendent intoxication of campaign hopes, sober White Houses adjust their expectations. It's either this, or unmistakable -- worse, unforgettable -- failure. And then one reads passages like this, again from the Times: "After weeks of frustrating delays ... Mr. Obama decided to take what he could get [on health care], declare victory and claim momentum..., even if the details did not always match the lofty vision that underlined them."
Yet, there is always what we might call a realization gap -- a kind of electoral lag -- that forms among some of any president's base. They're still mired, if you will, in the unadulterated expectations of the campaign trail; they're still pumped to go fight, fight, fight -- always a vague exhortation -- not having themselves sat at numerous negotiating tables and discovered firsthand just how immovable some parochial interests and political factions can be, and not having accepted that progress often means quick study and sudden adjustments.
Case in point: Howard Dean's appearance on "Meet the Press" yesterday. It was astonishing. I sat watching, slack-jawed but in utter agreement with Dr. Dean about the evils of private health insurance and the coming legislative battles with this monstrous special interest, should the recently tailored Senate bill be signed into law. Yep, that's what will happen all right. No doubt about it. I couldn't have agreed more.
So how, you might ask, could I sit vigorously nodding my head up and down while my jaw slackened in disbelief -- even disgust?
Simply because Dean repeatedly ventured that the bill should be improved, it should be improved, it should be improved -- while not once taking the good time and trouble to inform us just how the bill realistically could be improved.
The Senate doesn't have the votes. Never did Dean acknowledge that simple, inescapable political reality. We already know the bill could be better; we know every bill could be better -- and all of those vastly improved bills dwell in the uncompromising fantasyland of progressive otherworldliness.
That world is precisely what Truman's predecessor sought to escape -- and his successful escape is what launched 20th-century liberalism's upward trajectory. Franklin Roosevelt didn't play around long with celestial visions and he absolutely rejected unrealistic stubbornness. He took what he could get, when he could get it, knowing that small successes -- however disagreeable -- ultimately accumulate larger than their sum.
Obama, as a student of history, has learned from the master. He has, as the Times further framed his approach, "put a high value on ... keeping things moving, recognizing that history generally does not remember the to and fro, only the big sweep of presidential accomplishments" -- which build on themselves.
And that was the profound summary offered by Paul Krugman last Friday in defense of the result of Obama's approach: "Bear in mind ... the lessons of history: social insurance programs tend to start out highly imperfect and incomplete, but get better and more comprehensive as the years go by."
One does what is doable; that is the key to triumphant progressivism. Some understand that. Some don't. Barack Obama does. Howard Dean -- the unheeding personification of Harry Truman's lament -- doesn't.
Wisdom requires the long view - JFK
The nice part about intelligence being back in vogue is that some of us can begin to share its fruits: understanding, enlightenment..wisdom. But as John Kennedy pointed out at Berkeley in 1962, "Wisdom requires the long view." PM is exhibiting a little bit of those qualities. But the light he is shining hurts the eyes of those who gotten used to the darkness of our past decade -- those whose reality is shaped by the "be afraid, be very afraid"; now "be angry, be very angry"..(anger is such a good reality - not!). It's okay to be smart, folks -- you are free to be rational and to demonstrate clear thinking. Yes, wisdom does require the long view .. and many of us here at BuzzFlash don't seem to be able to see past the ends of their penises -- or noses, for those who don't have such a thing to contend with.
Carping out
This is pure bulls__t. Carpenter should know better. This should have started as a single payer program hitting the desks of Congress to vote on before the table settings get cleared at the inauguration. Then if the Rethugnican Nazis want to throw their typical angry white man temper tantrums send out for the pizzas and pee bags and let them explain to the American people why they can't have what the Rethugnican Nazis in Congress (including Michelle Bachmann although I think the mental health thing needs a little tuning up looking at the results there) currently have which is, drum roll please, single payer health care. History will look at this as Obama having totally f__ked this up and deferred this to the long arc of history.
Well, PMC, You're Managed to Do What Even YTwerp Couldn't
Convince me to unsubscribe from BuzzFlash forever.
You, Sir, are no better than Holy Joe the Quisling LIE-berman!
Say it isn't so, "Doc"!
C'mon, "Doc". PM is in the exact same spot you were only a year ago ....... a Clinton-hating Obama worshiper. He just hasn't yet realized that he was duped. You, on the other hand, having realized you've been duped once again, are taking your ball and going home???
Of course, given your history of flip-flopping on pretty much every politician you once supported, your promise to unsubscribe from Buzzflash forever is emptier than an Obama campaign promise.
Howard Dean
Every time I decide to donate to Buzzflash, however little I can afford, I run across a column written by Mr. Carpy and I put my wallet back in my pocket. I think of Buzzflash giving space for this Republican plant to spew his hatred of anyone or anything progressive and I realize that there are truly progressive sites that I'd rather donate to. It's quite sad because I love Buzzflash, yet I have to be wary of anyone giving this status-quo reptile such prominence on their site.
tho, as a business decision, Carp should be let go
I'd derive immense satisfaction with sentencing him to read the Regressive Antidote weekly reports. now there's a proprietor who knows when we've been had by a faux Dem.
Political Reality is What WE MAKE IT
...and not what is realisticly attainable according to history. If that were true, nothing would ever have changed, nor will it in the future. If you believe that, you might as well join the rebublicans, cuz they most certainly like the status quo.
I'm sick of your "progressive" articles that continually insult this website's readers. You are a Democrat. A corpratist, cowardly democrat. You compromise on your supposed beliefs out of fear of a political party that is so brazen they no longer even try to hide their corruption, deciet, and outright lies. Us true progressives would rather kill the bill that is a boone of new profit to the vampires that masquerade as the insurance industry. We stad strong and shant back down against an enemy that never flinches in challenging everything left of center (and in most cases even center-right). We need to stand strong and for brave, true progressives like Sanders, Grayson, and Kucinich to continue to speak the truth against the corporate corruption on the hill.
I guess you are the victor though, as week in and week out I heed not my own advice and still read this trash that passes for a progressive opinion.
Upset. Uproar. Uprise. The system is yours, take it back.
skip the post, just read the comments
which is exactly what I'm doing right now. you get the full gist of Carp's contention (also thru the title), spare yourself the aggravation, and commisserate with fellow actual liberals. then again, if everyone followed my advice, the comments wouldn't be as informed.
Carp's Never-ending Jihad against Liberals
Stupid me, I actually showed up today thinking Carp would offer a psuedo apology for Friday's column of putrid fith insulting progressives--either of his own accord or by prompting from Buzzflash--but what I got instead was another mind-numbingly simplistic screed going after, who else, liberals.
Again.
You know, Carp, I gave you money once when you were down and out, and I must say, the thought of having done that now provides me with the unfortunate sensation of having a large brown rat ploddingly and stubbornly gnaw on my duodenum before I've downed my oats in the morning. You sychophantic, Obama-loving, corporate jock-sniffing pig--and I mean that as no disrespect, but only as an observation--sychophants and corporate jock sniffers certainly make the world go 'round--but are there no other web sites to which you could offer your immense rhetorical talent and "services?" I mean, I hear the New Republic is always on the lookout for arrogant, narcisstic, 2nd rate hacks, no offense intended. Could you please ask Buzzflash for a buyout or something so you can ply your Goldman-Sachs/Aetna trade where it can truly be appreciated?
We need more regulation for HCR, you fucking doofus. And I have expressly heard Howard Dean say as much. (whether or not he said it on MTP is of little import because it HAS been said). We should regulate insurance companies like utilities. But then, I guess you weren't listening so it must not have happened. With that type of regulation I almost think I could forgive the dropping of the public option in the spirit of compromise and watch this bill pass without wretching, but then I read your scribblings in the morning and I have an absolutely OVERWHEMING compulsion to see the bill killed. Was that your intent or are you just talented that way?
My advice? Take another vacation. Take some time off and go sniff some more Missouri pine before you make yourself and Buzzflash look even more foolish to your readers than you already have. But you won't. Because if it's one thing about arrogant, narcisstic hacks, they don't know they are an arrogant, narcisstic hack. Just sayin'. If only their poor dumb readers could accept the pearls of wisdom being laid at their dirty hippie feet--then...THEN--they would know what I know, so sayeth I, so sayeth THE CARP.
Hey Carp, and I mean this as no disrespect--
Blow me.
I cringe, too
at the memory of having underwritten an entire month of Carp's independent blog before he joined here. I can't remember what he was saying back then which so inspired me to contribute. do wish he'd pay me back.
I was once a huge fan
During the Bush years I remember liking most every column Carp wrote. I don't give money to just anybody. He is undeniably gifted as a writer with a sense of history. But either he has moved to the right or I've moved to the left (or both) because we no longer see eye to eye.
I think he's become an armchair insider
a made-up description I hope is self-explanatory. It happened at some point during Obama's campaign or shortly after the election. Carp flipped from detractor to supporter to the point of imagining he was Obama or at least reading his mind (as Carp often suggests in his posts). Now that Obama has proved disappointing, to put it kindly, Carp can't regage his sentiments because he identified so closely that to admit he's been had would be to question his own self-image. or something to that effect.
Howard Dean
What I heard from Dean on MTP was to improve the HCR bill in conference. He understands the Dems in the Senate don't have the votes to make it any better. Coming out of conference, the bill just needs a majority so it could be much better, even a slight chance of a public option which the House voted for. If it gets too good, we have to worry that the Blue Dogs in House will vote it down.
The only way Liberals can get what they really want, true universal health, is to have a real supper majority, 67 or 68 votes, like Johnson did when he went for Medicare in '65. It was also important at the time that the Senate didn't have to have a cloture vote on every bill.
If liberals really want their issues enacted, they will have to support what they can get now, energize for the 2010 election cycle, and quit sniping at Obama for going for what is realistic today. Be adults and think long term, past today and work for tomorrow.
Actually, it is the Blue Dogs who are not adults
Save your stupid disparaging remarks for the tea baggers. Fighting for what is right for America IS behaving as adults, especially when it comes to Orwellian named bills that only enrich a small minority of fascists.
The obstructionist Republicans and the Blue Dogs do not have the high moral ground. In fact, not only are they acting extremely childish and greedy, but far worse, they are committing mutiny against the wishes of the majority of Americans.
WE THE PEOPLE are the true sovereignty in America, not the fascists who bribe our elected representatives who work for us and MUST do as we say!
carpenter is being an
carpenter is being an apologist for the far right yet again. When is Buzzflash going to realize he's costing them money? Who could give cash to a site like this that parrots DLC talking points?
Howard Dean "gets it"; Barack Obama AND CARPY doesn't
"Obama, as a student of history, has learned from the master."
And just who is the master?
Why it's none other than the upper 1% plutocracy and their multinational corporations who pay K Street lobbyists to bribe our Congressional representatives into committing mutiny against WE THE PEOPLE.
You know, the same master that Carpy bows down to every day he writes another pro-fascist propaganda oped for Buzzflash.
Buzzflash, when are you going to fire this propaganda parrot? Don't you know he is single handedly destroying your website's reputation, and your ability to raise money?
The Ironic Times says it best...
Historic Healthcare Bill Nears Passage
For first time in history insurance companies will be required by law to accept billions in new profits.
http://www.ironictimes.com/
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the shameless sellout.
If the logic of this
If the logic of this diatribe was intended to bolster Obama's plummeting credibility, good luck with that. On the other hand this misguided piece could not have been helpful to BF's currently, frantic fund-raising either.
pm a disgrace
PM Carpenter is a disgrace to the Democratic party of FDR who he keeps trying to degrade.FDr was willing to fight if he had to,PM like the Quisling he is,is always ready to surrender to the enemy.I just read an article in Opted News that said Raul Emanuel said we don't have to worry about the liberals there are none left in the senate except for Bernie Sanders.We can keep compromising until we goose step down the streets of America
I do agree with the one letter writer who has more brains then PM Carpenter that when the full effect of the bill is felt we will know how much we have been betrayed.For the terminally slow which we seem to have as many as the republican party,heres the true effect of the bill.People with good health insurance will pay a heavy tax because Dumocrats won't tax the rich as they said they would.millions will be cut out of medicare causing even more doctors to refuse to accept it,except in Baucus state where a special deal was made to increase payments.As insurancve rises more companies will drop their employees or go to cheaper insurance with big deductibles.Due to our traitor President drug companies can raise prescription cost to what they feel like,cost for prescriptions have already gone up 10% this year alone.This bill is a killer for the middle class and elderly.PM Carpenter is really a spy for the Weekly standard,for those not in the know this is the republican equivelent of buzz flash
HOGWASH, PM !!
I've got to agree with the previous comment by Jack Bollinger... this commentary by PM Carpeneter is pure HOGWASH. If I had known it was a PM commentary from the BuzzflashBlog link, I never would have visited, but since I'm here, here goes:
Governor Howard Dean, a REAL life CHIEF EXECUTIVE (governor) of a state (Vermont) which drastically needed Health Care reform, worked like a 100 mule team to GET his state health care reform. By contrast, and by EVERYONE's acknowledgement except the most loyalist of Obama supporters, Obama has DONE NOTHING to push health-care along, except to ENABLE Senator Baucus, the insurance lobby, the "YELLOW DOG" OBSTRUCTIONISTS, and the Emanuel/GolddmanSachs Big Finance cabal in their SABOTAGE of real health care reform.
The DEMOCRATS are GOING TO PAY THE PRICE for Obama/Emanuel's PREMEDITATED TREACHERY, putting out an ATROCITY of a "reform" bill, that TAXES EXISTING insurance plans as "CADILLAC programs" and MANDATES for everyone else. At behest of insurance industry and GolddamnSachs gangsters, Mr. Obama is actually GOING TO MAKE THINGS WORSE for millions of Americans, and he is going to HIDE behind the "30 million Americans will now be insured" FICTION, those people can STILL BE DROPPED by the insurance companies... as Aetna DROPPED 650,000 policyholders just this month!
Well, PM does serve one useful function: he is a good INDICATOR of the SHEER TREACHERY of the Obama/Emanuel White House, THE MORE UNPOPULAR they make Democrats look, the more PM and the NY Times, WashPost, CNN, Time, & other major media" WILL BLAME THE VICTIMS, blame the Democrats for OBAMA's RIGHT-WING POLICIES!
Hey PM, in case you didn't notice: so-called "liberal" so called "Democratic" President Barack Obama JUST RE-NOMINATED President Bushie's pick to be Chairman of the Fed, Ben Bernanke, the guy who PRESIDED OVER THE DESTRUCTION of FOURTEEN TRILLION DOLLARS of American investor, household, and taxpayers' wealth, just got a GREAT BIG WET-KISS OF APPROVAL from the so-called "liberal" "Democrat" President.
COME ON, PM - WRITE THAT STORY UP BLAMING us liberals and the Few DC Democrats with any backbone and conviction left !!
Should be a CINCH for a man with the literary "blame the victims" skills such as yourself.
Obama and health care.
As I read the various pundits who are now for the current Senate iteration, especially those who, just a short time ago, were all spouting on about how ONLY a public plan would work, I am amazed at how so many can tell us both the reason why voting for this bill is the progressive thing to do, AND how Obama/Rahm will improve this plan dramatically AFTER it is passed.
Hogwash.
We have, at taxpayer expence, put another 30 million souls under the thumb of the insurance companies that caused this problem.
We Dems/Progressives are easily led down a path to our own disgrace!
Jack Ballinger