white male consumer

Last Sunday on Meet The Press, I thought David Brooks was at moments unintentionally both humorous and insightful. At multiple points, Brooks resorted to using “crazy” or “insane” – in responding to a Limbaugh clip, Palin’s ‘death panel’ post on Facebook, and the regime in Iran. Simple, straightforward. Yup, I couldn’t have put it better. There are some real nutjobs making news these days.

The Chicken Littles are already decrying the end of Hope, as public support starts to slip for both healthcare reform and the White House itself. Let’s put it in perspective. Despite falling poll numbers, there is no alternative party to the Democrats. The mainstream media is doing their part to paint the loony fringe as the voice of the GOP, but their sensationalizing hits way too close to home. Scarily, the only rational Republicans left seem to be party cast outs, independents (Bloomberg), or those not seeking re-election (the majority of Repubs who broke ranks to support Sotomayor). Minority Leader John Boehner has made it abundantly, explicitly clear that Congressional Republicans will not be in the business of legislating over the next four years. (Maybe this shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering that Bush decided to not lead the country for eight years.) The disheartening part is not asinine GOP leadership, but the way in which elected officials follow that leadership lockstep, heedless of the effect to their constituents or the country as a whole.

With Obama actually wielding power and under the constraints of political realities, it’s no surprise that a certain amount of “re-disillusionment” is kicking in. For the people prepared to take a rational look at things, I need only point to the bizarre alternate reality where McCain and Palin were in charge over the past seven months. (Add four points to unemployment, half the Dow Jones, and throw in a few launched nuclear ICBMs, and you’re almost there.)

With the Republican opposition’s infantile refusal to do their jobs, ostensibly denying each Dem-sponsored bill to come along, the White House needs to take a firmer role in directing Congress and focusing the debate. Bipartisanship comes second to constructive lawmaking, and the two become mutually exclusive when one side decides to play the dunce.