President Obama's signature first act was to be a "stimulus" package of breathtaking proportion. He was to ride into office on a wave of national concensus and push through the Congress one (1) trillion dollars in new spending. He was to wow the members of Congress to such a degree that he would achieve 80 votes in the Senate. He was to heal the nation, bring food to the hungry, heal the sick, and make everyone an expert at Wii tennis.
In turn he has hosted Republicans at cocktail parties and mocked their opposition. He has decried the politics of the past and endorsed Nancy Pelosi's politics of fervent failings. As it stands the "stimulus" is in some trouble. Republicans are standing their ground--or wherever it is Republicans stand. The country is growing skeptical of this breath taking spending plan. Rank-and-file Democrats aren't sure they support $1,000,000,000,000 in government debt. The world has changed since 1.20.09. Reality bites.
In reality our government was set up to dither. It was intended to fret, flail, and falter. It was a train-wreck choreographed by the masters. To steal and adapt a turn of phrase: the process of forming legislation is nasty, brutish, and long. It was never intended to be quick. Never meant to be easy. Does not, and should not lend itself to expediency.
Hugo Chavez, Kim Jung Il, and increasingly Vladamir Putin may issue edicts that abruptly and summarily change course for their nations, but America was formed upon different rules and different ideals. Here even the most pressing issue demands debate, oppossition, and reasoned consideration. Even after a watershed election. Even after a dark period. Even in a crisis.
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1 comment:
This is good and so on the mark.
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