Dana Milbank: it might be good for Obama if he loses the Senate
And not because it will curb his worst excesses, either, and force him to compromise. No, Milbank thinks it could make America see what firebrands the Republicans are, and so they would applaud Obama’s continual efforts to check them by vetoing everything they pass. He sees “marauding conservatives” as possibly “driv[ing] Republicans to oblivion in 2016 and beyond.”
I suppose it could happen that way; never underestimate Republicans’ power to self-destruct. But it doesn’t seem to even occur to Milbank that if the 2014 election results in Republican control of both houses of Congress it could actually signify that voters want Republican solutions to the problems we face. That they are not happy with the excessive liberal turn the country has taken, and that they are disgusted with Obama’s lies and negativity as well as his actual policies.
Why would veto after veto help Obama? It could only help in the fevered minds of those such as Milbank, who are so convinced of the rightness of the liberal and leftist agenda that they cannot even conceive of the idea that Republicans and/or conservatives (not the same thing, of course) might have good ideas, and that they might even actually execute them in a way that would please the majority of the public. That their election might express the will of the people, and that the people might prefer they get a chance to try, rather than be thwarted by an unpopular president with a veto pen.
Dana…Dana….Danaaaaa…. So Stump Stupid, yet so pinheaded.
Milbank reminds that winning elections is insufficient. The social space must be controlled. Narrative. Zeitgeist. Culture.
The Praetorian Guardians cannot admit failure of their cherished vision’s policies.
As during the Clinton era, critics keep glimpsing or hoping for “signs” – entrails or hints or auras – that the enemies will turn on their Saint – but it never comes.
It will never come this time, too – even more so. Obama’s “success” is never subject to contingency or any falsification tests – Belief will always trump reality.
The real issue is only how weird or twisted and loopy the rationales become before the settle upon the True Believers ultimate rationale, “At least he
mean well (unlike those Evil Right-wingers who don’t). Dana Milbank is clearly marching down that road.
Moral narcissism (or pathological altruism) will always trump grounding in reality. Hope will trump revitalization through change.
Dana Milbank is a paid liar for the democrats. He is one of the reasons I no longer take the Washington Post. There is no difference between the news pages and the editorial pages of the post.
After about 10 vetos, Obama will be the “Do Nothing President.”
With enough of a beating… in the polls… Democrats will join to override Barry’s vetoes.
That will be a straw in the hurricane indicating that impeachment and conviction is neigh.
ISIS and the border and the economy and 0-care… and the IRS… and, and…
You end up with a panic cascade.
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Right now I’d say that Barry is establishing himself as an Orphan Grinder… panhandling the border for fresh proles.
The immorality of breaking up millions of families — just grist for his mill.
Barry is the Uriah Heep of maladministration, the Yes Man of the ultra Left.
Results by inaction.
Barry the cultural arsonist.
Also on my list of lefties I won’t read: Dana Milbank and Greg Sargent.
That will be a straw in the hurricane indicating that impeachment and conviction is neigh.
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Ah, we’re down to horses, are we? I think you meant ‘nigh’.
There’s an old Cheech and Chong movie, actually it’s Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie, in which Cheech says “Responsibility is a heavy responsibility”. He actually says that just before they blow up the car, but that’s neither here nor there. The point is that responsibility is way too much responsibility for these two characters, and it’s actually pretty funny when you see it.
A lot of successful irresponsible governance boils down ducking responsibility, and sometimes having the opposition in control of the Congress can help with that, especially when you are prepared to use executive action/ extraconstitutional measures/ rule by decree. You can blame the opposition for obstructionism when they oppose you.
Francesca says we’re down to horses. I would point out that Caligula once appointed a horse to the Senate, so maybe she’s got a point.
Will the Horse Sing or not? Old Iranian story about being conquered by filthy Arabic Sultans.