Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Here at the Hoover Institution, Daniel Henninger of the Wall Street Journal delivered a fascinating talk yesterday evening.
Anyone who supposes we're witnessing gridlock in Washington simply because the Republicans refuse to compromise on tax increases, Dan insisted, is "delusional." I can't quote Dan exactly--I was merely scribbling notes on the back of the menu (veloute of foraged mushroom soup followed by triple Australian lamb chop, if you were wondering), but our fundamental problem, he argued, is a Democratic Party that "has become almost completely alienated from the private sector."
The Democrats, Dan observed, have always been the party of the working man. Yet it used to remain firmly planted in the private sector. "The United Auto Workers might have hated Henry Ford," Dan said, "but they knew when they got up in the morning that making cars was they way they earned their living." Since then, private sector unions have shrunk while public sector unions have grown and grown. Today the Democratic Party is thoroughly and completely the party of government--the party of public sector unions supplemented by university campuses (and higher education itself, of course, is an industry that exists in its present form only because of federal subsidies). As Dan also observed in his column in today's Wall Street Journal, President Obama's decision to delay the building of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have delivered fuel from Canada to the United States, "represents a watershed moment in American politics." At a cost of 20,000 private sector jobs, "the president shores up his environmental base in Hollywood and on campus."
We now have two parties with two fundamentally different and irreconcilable views of the role of government in American life: The GOP believes in limited government and the primacy of the private sector, the Democrats, in ever-expanding government and the primacy of the public sector. "What we're witnessing isn't a failure to compromise. What we're witnessing is a stand-off."
A few additional notes:
1) Foreign policy
If the American economy settles into a longterm pattern of slow growth--if current economic conditions become the new normal--then we will cede world leadership to the Chinese. "A Chinese friend taught me what you really need to know about Chinese history," Dan said. "First Mao eliminated Confucius from the culture. Then Deng eliminated Mao. The Chinese people now have no value system. They believe in essentially nothing but acquiring material goods. You do not want to live in a world dominated by people who believe in nothing."
2) Romney
"If Mitt Romney is elected, we will not have reform led by a strong leader in the White House. Our politics will revert to normal." Instead of dramatic, radical reforms of the kind we need, "we'll have three yards and a cloud of dust."
3) Congress--and at least a minor stirring of optimism
At the same time, Dan said, "three yards and a cloud of dust is still three yards," and Romney will find himself forced to work with Republicans in the House and Senate, the leadership of which is now dominated by convinced conservatives. "The new GOP class in the House and Senate," Dan said, "is the best of my lifetime."
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Oct '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Or he'll reach across the aisle and work with Scott Brown Republicans...
Dec '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
genferei
Or he'll reach across the aisle and work with Scott Brown Republicans... · Nov 17 at 2:41pm
That is a very scary thought. What if non TEA Party types unite with the dems?
Nov '11
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Very well put. I can´t help but agree on the DNC.
I am currently living in Barcelona and I can´t help but notice one thing. The U.S. Democratic leaders are sounding alarmingly closer and closer in discourse to the ruling socialist party (PSOE) in Spain right now, up to the point where I can hardly differentiate between the two. It is very concerning.
Peter, I hope you enjoyed the lamb chop, by the way.
May '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Is there a link to an MP3 file to hear Mr. Henninger?
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
…veloute of foraged mushroom soup followed by triple Australian lamb chop…
Peter you can’t eat that and maintain regular guy status. Plus you risk people thinking you dine with Rob Long, who during his live Ricochet event made Ann Coulter a French desert I also couldn’t pronounce.
Look me up when you are in New Jersey and I’ll buy you a steak to help re-establish your street cred!
I agree with Dan’s points, but would like to add that America’s bigger problem is exposed when looking even more closely at the private unions - the bigger ones are now service industry unions. We don’t make things to sell the way we used to in America.
Consider if you will my simplified (Simple? Simpleton?) analysis:
If you have a buyer and a seller, at the end of the day the buyer has a depreciating product, the seller has all the money. Who would you rather be?
America is sliding because we are becoming world consumers instead of world merchants.
Nov '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Is there a link to the lamb chop?
Aug '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
What I'd like to know is what made the chops on HI's menu three times as Australian as your garden-variety Aussie chop.
Edited on Nov 17, 2011 at 3:56pmDec '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Peter Robinson:
We now have two parties with two fundamentally different and irreconcilable views of the role of government in American life: The GOP believes in limited government and the primacy of the private sector, the Democrats, in ever-expanding government and the primacy of the public sector. "What we're witnessing isn't a failure to compromise. What we're witnessing is a stand-off."
Government of the people, by the people, and for the people
vs.
People of the government, by the government, and for the government.
Aug '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Just throwing this out there as a thought-experiment.
If Republicans are the party of the private sector and the Democrats are the party of the public sector, does that mean the Republican Party should be courting private sector unions?
Nov '11
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
It's interesting how often I go back to Thomas Sowell's A Conflict of Visions.
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Freeven
Peter Robinson:
We now have two parties with two fundamentally different and irreconcilable views of the role of government in American life: The GOP believes in limited government and the primacy of the private sector, the Democrats, in ever-expanding government and the primacy of the public sector. "What we're witnessing isn't a failure to compromise. What we're witnessing is a stand-off."
Government of the people, by the people, and for the people
vs.
People of the government, by the government, and for the government. · Nov 17 at 3:08pm
Wow. That is beautiful--and powerful.
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Tommy De Seno: …veloute of foraged mushroom soup followed by triple Australian lamb chop…
Peter you can’t eat that and maintain regular guy status. · Nov 17 at 3:02pm
I didn't draw up the menu, Tommy, I promise. (If it were up to me, we'd have had Big Macs, fries, and Cokes.) But I'll take you up on that steak house in Jersey.
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Alas, no. As far as I'm aware, no one recorded Dan's remarks.
Jun '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
If you believe that your 85 or 90 years on this Earth is all there is, and also believe that "the game" is rigged against you--against "the 99%"--you're not really looking for the common good. You're looking for a soft landing for yourself and your friends. That's all that the average activist Democrat is looking for--a soft landing. Especially those that work for the government. They get ahead politically by talking about "the common good," because that still works, but not because they believe in it. What they believe is that Robin Hood had the right answer.
Oct '11
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
I think north star has the gist of it. You can't take the left at face value. The Progressive project has always been no more and no less than the attempt to transfer wealth, status, and power from those who work at objectively valuable pursuits to those who do not.
Polaris makes an interesting point - maybe they do consider life a game. After all, reality really is rigged against them, since they can't compete on merit. Unfortunately, we've passed a tipping point, and too many of us are now playing their game.
Jun '11
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
From my view as a dweeb at a large airline and a small businessman, decline in the business environment is the trend. No one really cares about the long term, even if bankruptcy is not in the cards.
The emphasis is on a big push to generate a nice corporate outlook, i.e. to keep up the aura that all is well. Keep up the look. If it requires this or that then do it regardless of what's right or what is best for the long term viability. Put out a release, cut some head count, etc.
No real stand up big American proud business like there was 20 years ago.
Jun '11
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
Sarbanes-Oxley is a national travesty for US big businesses trying to compete in the world. America has shot herself in the foot.
Also, the permits and regulations required now versus just 5 years ago are a killer for small business expansion. Same shot in the foot.....
Mar '11
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
I've been trying to figure out what "three yards and a cloud of dust" means. I got nuthin'.
Jun '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
etoiledunord: ...
Especially those that work for the government. They get ahead politically by talking about "the common good," because that still works, but not because they believe in it. What they believe is that Robin Hood had the right answer.
Yes, Stalin and Mao always talked about speaking for the people, too. I'm sure they meant those who they weren't murdering but it really takes sheep to allow these wolves in the door. Most unions are filled with sheep. And that's why secret ballots scare the unions so much.
Oct '10
Re: Washington Doesn't Work Because it Can't. Here's Why
See here, for example: