[Zipperfish]

I didn't think the National Post comment was that insightful. If anything, the problem lay with folks who overestimated the power the President has. Obama is still just a cog in the political machine. The biggest cog, no doubt, but still a cog, and unable to realize his vision without the cooperation of others.

I suspect bigger issues are the polarization of politics and a growing lack of faith in the political system to function. These will continue to frustrate any politician or president, regardless of political stripe.

A little more focus on pragmatism over ideology would help. Moral imperatives ("protect the unborn", "save the planet") leave little room for compromise. I suspect much of the ideology is driven by activists on the political fringe, as opposed to rank-and-file Americans. They have no interest in the pragmatism of compromise. On the contrary, their popularity derives from their tendency to "double down" and exaggerate differences. The activist feed on spectacle, not results.

[Psudo]

Zipperfish wrote:

The activist feed[s] on spectacle, not results.

That is so depressingly true. Can anything be done to minimize spectacle?

[GreenTiger]

Psudo wrote:

Zipperfish wrote:

The activist feed[s] on spectacle, not results.

That is so depressingly true. Can anything be done to minimize spectacle?

Not Really, The whole behavior of Congress and the President on this was such a nauseating disgusting episode that how could it not be covered as such.

[Psudo]

I'm not advising hiding the truth, but changing the mechanism of legislation somehow so spectacle is less effective.

[Zipperfish]

Psudo wrote:

I'm not advising hiding the truth, but changing the mechanism of legislation somehow so spectacle is less effective.

That's not a bad idea. The optimist in me believes that this whole brinksmanship game that's being played in the US will ultimately be self-defeating. "Go to the wire," "draw a line in the sand" and "double down" can only sustain interest for a time, especially with limited results. It's all heat and no light.

[BartSimpson]

Thanos wrote:

batshit insane

So I was about to write something critical of your post and then I saw this phrase and I find myself deferring to your depth of personal experience with batshit insanity.

[BartSimpson]

Psudo wrote:

I'm not advising hiding the truth, but changing the mechanism of legislation somehow so spectacle is less effective.

You're asking the legislators to reign in the legislators. Somehow I just don't see that happening unless you're going to vote for the Tea Party.

[Canadian_Mind]

Psudo wrote:

Zipperfish wrote:

The activist feed[s] on spectacle, not results.

That is so depressingly true. Can anything be done to minimize spectacle?

Gladiator Arenas?