False equivalency reenergized

Perhaps the most witless remark I heard time and again last night from whole squadrons of media wise men was that if both sides strongly dislike the fiscal-cliff bill, it must be a pretty good one. This Beltway witticism-cum-sophisticated worldliness was inevitably followed by slight chuckles and knowing winks. The fact that the logic of their observation is philosophically idiotic--so any legislation roundly opposed is, merely by virtue of its opposition, good legislation?--didn't seem to faze them. And I can tell you why. The observation is cretinously related to that other tireless Beltway maxim: "Both sides are equally at fault for ... whatever."

Of course with the Senate's 89-8 endorsement of the white-flagged fiscal bill early this morning, that second observation received a revivifying shot in the arm. Now the bill goes to that lower body of cerebral renown and ethical fortitude, the GOP House, which regularly demonstrates that Nietzsche was indeed right and thus God is indeed dead.

Happily, though, the particular merits and distinct drawbacks of the fiscal bill are just as philosophically dead. They have already ascended into the foggy heavens of immovable advocacy or hatred of the bill: its lovers will note its upsides almost exclusively; its detractors will emphasize its downsides. Balanced, thoughtful assessments of the bill's actual guts were clinically dead even before the bill's ink had dried. The legislation now consists simply of a defensive pro-side and an aggressive con-side.

Strategically, however, over the next few months and coming years this bill will increasingly be regarded by policy and political mavens as a grievous blunder of the first order. In the long run it locks in lower tax rates for nearly all Americans, whose rates, once the economy recovers, will absolutely need to rise--an eventual urgency of fiscal sanity now rendered highly (politically) improbable by statute. In the short run? The president had Republicans on the ropes. They were dispirited, if not defeated. Now they're emboldened. Obama has reopened their vistas of political Lebensraum for them. God help us (assuming Nietzsche was in part wrong).

Comments

[Dave]

I've officially lost reverence for your political analysis. I now read you with a grain of salt.

[sueme]

Hang in there, PM, we are all frustrated. I have had this feeling since the 90's and the impeachment debacle when I vowed it would be a freezing day in Hell before I voted for a Republican. Things will, no doubt, get worse....maybe we (Americans) need that to finally clean house!

[Robert Lipscomb]

Let's see, all my Republican friends and all my Democratic friends think that Joseph Stalin's mass murders and all of Hitler's mass murders were terrible. So, the Stalin and Hitler mass murders must be a good thing.

Okay, I am now qualified for my job in punditry. "I'm ready for my close-up Mr. Demille."

[Peter G]

The Republicans were soundly defeated. No social spending cuts. Taxes rise on the upper bracket. Unemployment insurance extended and that is pure stimulus.. There is nothing objectionable in this deal except the line at which tax increases are set. And, unfortunately, the other item you named. They should have extended the middle class tax cuts and not made them permanent. Oh well, the taboo against raising taxes is now broken and the future must take care of itself in that regard. On the political side I can think of no better outcome. If the Republicans dick around with this bill when it had such broad support in the Senate they will be dead ducks. The Hastert rule is about to fall and with it any semblance of Republican unity. The republicans were completely out maneuvered. And now the only fallback defense line they have is taking hostage even they know they dare not shoot. In the political environment that exists right now, this is victory.

[Chris Andersen]

The measure of a good deal is not how soundly it humiliates Republicans but whether it protects the welfare of the American people. A lot of the liberal criticism of this deal seems to be of the "it doesn't fuck over the GOP so it must be bad" variety.

Please don't fall into that trap.

[Botelho]

"Now [the enemy is/will be] emboldened."

Phil, when you start making non-ironic use of phrases from the Bush 43 Administration to ascribe adverse motivational consequences to otherwise sensible political maneuvers, it's time to back away from the rhetorical details and just look at the fundamental dynamics. I think you're lost in the weeds here.

The GOP has been busy digging their party into a hole for 4 years (longer, really), and you're upset at the President for reinforcing their trench walls, just because they don't deserve that help. As if desert was at all relevant. This seems like the same logic that fought the financial bailouts.

The problem is that the Dems and Repubs are on the same damn chain gang. If the GOP collapse into their hole as a unified faction, I wonder how badly that'll restrict ANY political action for at least the next Congress, and possibly the entire Presidential term. Let's get the smarter (or less damaged) Republicans working their way out so maybe the President can keep moving on some other agenda items besides CRUSHING THE GOP.

[Peter G]

The lead article over at Red State, by Eric Erickson is unintentionally enlightening. He urges Republicans not to take the bait. The last line..."this vote will separate the conservatives from the Republicans." Why yes Eric it will. That's the whole point.