The political uses of temporary failure

[barking_iguana]

I think my response to chemoelectric over on Facebook is worth its own post here. (I find this a better venue for sustained thoughts. Facebook is Twitter-hevy (as opposed to lite), but not heavy enough to be a real blog.

Anyway: Here's Barry's post, followed by my response: Comments are desired.

I love Bill Clinton’s comeback to the Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell questioner: Don’t blame me, he said; How come you didn’t give me congressional support? I am afraid the same thing could happen to President Obama, due to failure of people to work Democratic senators who, for whatever reason, do not favor a stronger government role in healthcare.

I love it when Bill Clinton is composed and concise.

Composed, concise, and dead wrong. Clinton probably couldn't have pushed through a good policy. But had he tried, had he visibly stood up for something and been seen to stand for something, he would not have lost the 1994 Congressional elections to Newt Gingrich.

I can see that happening to Obama, too. Sometimes a President (or governor) needs to run against obstructionists in Congress (or a state legislature) even if part of the obstruction is coming from the same party. It's often the only way to remain a voice of and advocate for the people—and to be seen as such.

Clinton was unable to take such a strategically mandated mid-level defeat because of a deep personal need to feel he was doing he best for people. As it turned out, DADT actually made things worse than the status quo ante, but I'm not sure you could expect him foresee that. So I only blame Clinton for a strategic failure, not a tactical one, too.

I don't know what issue Obama should choose to take his lumps on and go to the people, asking for a better Congress. I doubt it's healthcare; there we'll probably end up with something that's a big enough improvement to be worth the inevitable diminution of political capital that comes with compromise. But Obama probably should make that strategic choice on some issue before the 2006 Congressional elections. Unlike Clinton, I don't think he's temperamentally blocked from making that choice. But I do worry that folks like Emmanuel will discourage it, being overly concerned with an image of strength at the expense of moral authority.

Comments

[chemoelectric.livejournal.com]

I have always hated chess.

[chemoelectric.livejournal.com]

BTW, since the original posting came from LJ, you could post a reply there. :)

(There is too little to go on for me to carry the conversation further, however, as far as political strategy is concerned. Counterfactuals are frustrating.)