This priceless photo taken of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney at the inauguration of their successor captures a glimpse of two sides of the American character. On the one hand Bush looks distracted as he fiddles with something in his hands (It looks like he's playing a video game!). His attention appears to be divided between the event and some other world. Americans of my generation grew up living in a dreamworld where our image of a world without moral ambiguities took the place of the real world. Dick Cheney is hunkered down in a wheelchair, dark hat pulled over his forehead, emanating the serious concern of an adult who is only too aware of the evil possibilities that surround us, to the point of obsession. If I were to select an overwhelming message coming from the two men, from Bush it would be "I want to believe," and from Cheney it would be a low and threatening growl, "Grow the fuck up." During the Bush/Cheney presidency it is possible that America began in earnest the necessary and difficult crossing from adolescence to adulthood.
I swore after this election that I would refrain from writing political commentary and pursue self expression on a different track. In over two years of incessant battle I felt that I'd learned valuable lessons, but rather than enumerating them to evoke more reaction I thought it better to step out of the fray altogether, and allowing things to sort themselves out without me adding to the general cacophony. To expect a political junky to keep things to himself indefinitely, particularly when he has evidence that even one other person is paying attention, is probably a little too much to ask. So, here are a few observations that have been building channels and quarries inside my head.
As someone who was somewhat skeptical about the real political possibilities of an administration that based its campaign promises on sloganeering around something as ephemeral as 'hope' I've so far been pleased at its early successes. I've always felt that the concept of 'hope' is chiefly useful as a campaign slogan, and not much else. In the world of real politics i believe that slogans must be replaced by determination. Ultimately the outcome of our efforts take only two forms, that of victory or defeat. All of the 'bipartisan' dicking around in the name of compromise and good feelings is cover for the actual process of sizing up the opposition in preparation for the battle that determines who is going to be the boss. The reason that George W. Bush was able to so radically alter the complexion of government and the application of the constitution was that, even after a narrow or even nonexistent victory at the polls he acted immediately as if he'd won election by a landslide. He took the reins of Washington and acted almost as if his adversaries did not exist. It's taken the Obama administration about two weeks to fully accept the way the game is played and to begin acting like they actually won.
Victory equals political capital. Victory in an election is only the beginning, and it must be followed as rapidly as possible with victories in congress against the opposition. Running the presidency is like flying a bombing run in a B-52 over Berlin. When a president is bogged down by the increasing levels of flak thrown up by an emboldened opposition using every vehicle it has in the media and in congress it becomes more and more difficult to accomplish anything.
The content of the stimulus package that President Obama has gotten passed, the largest piece of economic legislation ever, in his first two weeks is less important at this early stage than the fact that he has prevailed over the heads of his opposition . Victories build capital and capital is what is needed to proceed on a path of any real change. Voices will be raised on both the left and the right claiming that the bill is a disaster or a deal with the devil. This is all noise. One thing I learned in this election was not to take the echo chambers on either wing too seriously. I would no more read the Daily KOS for political insight than I would watch Fox News to learn the truth about the world.
A victory has been won. Savor it and let's move on.
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lpsrocks
Joan Walsh
Kerry Lauerman
Salon.com
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