PAUL KRUGMAN: On Being Partisan

[Veronica.Franco]

On Being Partisan

By PAUL KRUGMAN

American politics is ugly these days, and many people wish things were different. For example, Barack Obama recently lamented the fact that “politics has become so bitter and partisan” — which it certainly has.

But he then went on to say that partisanship is why “we can’t tackle the big problems that demand solutions. And that’s what we have to change first.” Um, no. If history is any guide, what we need are political leaders willing to tackle the big problems despite bitter partisan opposition. If all goes well, we’ll eventually have a new era of bipartisanship — but that will be the end of the story, not the beginning.

Or to put it another way: what we need now is another F.D.R., not another Dwight Eisenhower.

You see, the nastiness of modern American politics isn’t the result of a random outbreak of bad manners. It’s a symptom of deeper factors — mainly the growing polarization of our economy. And history says that we’ll see a return to bipartisanship only if and when that economic polarization is reversed.

http://wealthyfrenchman.blogspot.com/2007/01/on-being-partisan.html

[redqueen]

1. This should be in GD

with the part about Obama's comments HIGHLIGHTED.

[Briar]

2. Thank goodness

Some people realise that appealing to the centre without offending anyone just won't solve this crisis.

[Martin Eden]

3. Smear ... and Fear

"smear tactics are what a well-organized, well-financed party with a fundamentally unpopular domestic agenda uses to change the subject."

Add to that Krugman quote the "liberal use of FEAR tactics.

[applegrove]

4. Krugman is a god!