the Indespensable Enemies
It’s often been noted that the one thing that President Obama, and by extension his Democratic Party, has going for it as a shock absorber is the current state of the Republican Party. This is mutual: the one thing going for the Republican Party that serves as a lifeboart is the Democratic Party. “Indespensable Enemies”, as Walter Karp described it.
There are two damaging and disconcerting polls that have to be vexxing th Donkey Party. First, the one that guages a whopping 40 percent of Democrats who say they are either definitely or probably not be voting in the 2010 elections, compared to a tiny portion of Republicans stating the same. It’s partially a product of rallying against the politically possible (anemic) against rallying against the Cause of Opposition.. I won’t pretend to forecast the 2010 elections here, but the pivot point for turning those numbers around on the Democratic side is almost certainly the completion of legislative agenda — Health Care — matched against the broader economic and military situation.
The other poll number fascinates me. Harvard has found that the under 30 set approves of Obama, and disapproves of much of his handling of policy agenda. Before someone shouts out claims of Obama and the “Cult of Personality”, I have to state that this is not a new feature/bug of American politics — similar discreprencies surfaced about with Reagan, for instance. Beyond that, there is a feature of the 2 Party Duopoly at work here. Disapprove of Obama’s Afghanistan Surge? Well, la de da… would you prefer the policy strategy of an open-ended Afghanistan Surge promoted by Republican Stalwart John McCain? Regarding health care, the phrasing here is key — “handling of policy” — we’re watching the sausage get made, and all the compromises to industry that comes with it — like approving or disapproving of Used Car Salesmen – how can anyone like this? (A simple policy is easier to sell than a complicated policy process). And, again: would you prefer the Republican approach to “reform”ing Health Care — which, so far as I can tell, seems to be selling us on the idea that there’s a bazooka of savings to be had by going after the Democratic interest group of Trial Lawyers. On Gay marriage… well, even the conservative set in the under 30 set hasn’t any problem with the concept, and to be against it is to be against Obama’s position (as the ballot measurers take glee in promoting their case by quoting).