Eugene Robinson: Our Quick-Fix Electorate

[babylonsister]

Our Quick-Fix Electorate
Posted on Sep 2, 2010

By Eugene Robinson


According to polls, Americans are in a mood to hold their breath until they turn blue. Voters appear to be so fed up with the Democrats that they’re ready to toss them out in favor of the Republicans—for whom, according to those same polls, the nation has even greater contempt. This isn’t an “electoral wave,” it’s a temper tantrum.

It’s bad enough that the Democratic Party’s “favorable” rating has fallen to an abysmal 33 percent, according to a recent NBC-Wall Street Journal poll. It’s worse that the Republican Party’s favorability has plunged to just 24 percent. But incredibly, according to Gallup, registered voters say they intend to vote for Republicans over Democrats by an astounding 10-point margin. Respected analysts reckon that the GOP has a chance of gaining between 45 and 60 seats in the House, which would bring Minority Leader John Boehner into the speaker’s office.

My guess is that with a decided advantage in campaign funds, along with the other advantages of incumbency, Democrats will be able to mitigate these prospective losses—perhaps even relieving Nancy Pelosi of the hassles of moving. But there’s no mistaking the public mood, and the truth is that it makes no sense.

In the punditry business, it’s considered bad form to question the essential wisdom of the American people. But at this point, it’s impossible to ignore the obvious: The American people are acting like a bunch of spoiled brats.

snip//

The nation demands the impossible: quick, painless solutions to long-term, structural problems. While they’re running for office, politicians of both parties encourage this kind of magical thinking. When they get into office, they’re forced to try to explain that things aren’t quite so simple—that restructuring our economy, renewing the nation’s increasingly rickety infrastructure, reforming an unsustainable system of entitlements, redefining America’s position in the world and all the other massive challenges that face the country are going to require years of effort. But the American people don’t want to hear any of this. They want somebody to make it all better. Now.

more...

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/our_quick-fix_electorate_20100902/

[FBaggins]

1. "This isn’t an “electoral wave,” it’s a temper tantrum" Robinson -2010

"Imagine a nation full of uncontrolled two-year-old rage. The voters had a temper tantrum last week" - Peter Jennings 1994

[babylonsister]

2. Awww, Peter Jennings. I did like that man.

What was he referring to, do you know?

[GoCubsGo]

3. The 1994 mid-terms

You know...the ones where the rethugs gained control of Congress for the first time in 40 years.

Sadly, if you look at the comments section in the full column, it looks like everything Gene has said is going in one ear and out the other.

[smalll]

35. Nicely spotted. And you were reply #1 --

this is (one reason) I like DU -- we're smarter than your average bear. As soon as I saw that "tantrum" thing, I thought Peter Jennings.

[HughMoran]

4. Well, it's even happenening here on DU where you'd think we were beyond tantrums

When the recession started, it was understood that employment would lag any recovery by years - assuming there even was a recovery. The stimulus & other measures helped to turn some aspects of the economy around somewhat, now people think everything should be 'back to normal' post haste. It took a lot of Republican effort to mess things up this bad - why would anybody think it would turn around faster than even the most optimistic economists outlook? It's OK Eugene, insult the American people - stupid impatient fucks we are.

[rurallib]

5. TV has warped the American mind to think all problems can be

solved in one hour, possibly a two-part two week solution, but no more.

[msongs]

6. translation: people expect democrats to be different from republicans are silly children lol nt

[EC]

7. Where did you get that from this article?

This article is more about the policies not parties...

[Bluerthanblue]

36. no, - translation: our instant everything, drive thru culture expects

to get what they want, when they want it, or else!

And damn-it, YES, we have become a nation of spoiled rotten children. I'm so tired of hearing how "fed-up" people are. The tea-partiers complain about being 'taxed enough already' from the comfort of their lawn chairs parked next to their RV's and "real-progressives" proudly proclaim they'll be sitting out the elections to 'teach the Democratic party a lesson'. :shrug:



There are MANY things that need changing in this country- allowing the republicans to regain and retain power would accomplish NONE of them. We didn't get where we are overnight, and we aren't going to get out of it easily or quickly.

No, many things aren't advancing in the directions I want, or changing as quickly as I need them to, but the ONLY alternative is to give up, and relinquish control to the republicans, who are sitting there counting on us to do just that-

[flamingdem]

8. Yes! The DEM message needs to be that the REPUKES want to take away SS and Medicare! etc nt

[DrSteveB]

9. During the campaign, we didn't hear these "recovery will be slow" arguments

Because in a campaign, candidates need to offer big change. Now reality set in.

[Tarheel_Dem]

11. Then you weren't listening. I suggest you go back and google some

transcripts, especially from the president. He has maintained, from the outset, that this big ship of state could not turn on a dime. He has countenanced patience from the beginning. That you, and others, choose to make shit up, is not the fault of Democrats.

[impik]

13. You too didn't listen. Go and listen to some of Obama's speeches

you'll be surprised how he's doing exactly what he said he'll do, but people didn't listen.

[Arkana]

15. Um, yes we absolutely did.

Obama himself said countless times that change would not come easy and that the status quo would fight it with everything they've got. We heard from every corner that this mess would not be fixed for years, even IF everything went exactly as it was supposed to.

Where were you?

[scheming daemons]

16. You're exactly the kind of voter Gene's talking about. You didn't pay attention.

[mikekohr]

37. The President repeatedly said it would take 18-24 months to turn things around

Bush's "Great Recession" ended 17 months after President Obama took office. History is clear that return of employment always takes even longer. Erin Burnett on "Meet the Press," reported this is the fastest recovery (from the deepest hole) in 25 years.

mike kohr
Bureau County Democrats
http://bureaucountydems.blogspot.com

[old mark]

10. A large number of voters in the US are just ignorant and simple minded.

The GOP plays to them, as do others on the right such as Mr. Beck and the various "religious" insane(Joel's Army, the Dominionists, the Reconstructionists, etc). I realise the administration has immense difficluty dealing with these idiots - they are like an anchor around the country's neck - but I want to see the administration talking up what they see as their real achievements, over and over again, even if they have to explain things as they would to grade school kids.

Obama trys to be an adult, and he is dealing with an audience that is nearly half idiot. (They think god causes storms because he is mad at the people who are affected by them, etc.)

Mr. Obama, you must play to the crowd, not over their heads...we all KNOW you are intelligent, even if you don't approve of us, and most of us will end up voting for Democrats anyway even with no enthusiasm for our "choices"...


mark

[maxsolomon]

14. he "doesn't approve of us"?

why say that? this sounds like you're buying into the GOP's "Obama = elitist" propaganda.

[old mark]

17. Have youy not heard the quotes by members of the administration against

"liberals" and "progressives"?
I suggest you read more.


mark

[jenmito]

12. K&R. I was going to post the same article but found that you already did it.

It's SO true!

[blueworld]

18. I've always been underwhelmed with Rev. Robinson & remain so

I respect & admire his attempts, but as in this column, he usually ends up "judging" a situation incorrectly IMO. Whenever he disagrees with a point of view, he labels it insultingly. Sounds like latent teabag tendencies to me. I wish him well & will pray for him.

[FrenchieCat]

19. Eugene Robinson isn't a Reverend, nor does he claim to be.

I don't always agree with everything he writes, but he doesn't sound like a latent anything.....

[blueworld]

25. You are apparently correct about his clerical status. My apologies; thx for the catch. n/t

[Zoeisright]

21. Yeah, a Pulitzer-winning newspaper columnist really needs your prayers.

:rofl:

[blueworld]

26. Glad you agree. Thanks:) n/t

[DrSteveB]

27. Maureen Dowd and Kathleen Parkers won Pulitzers

The award in and of itself doesn't make them good.

[babylonsister]

22. So who overwhelms you? nt

[blueworld]

24. Bob Herbert. Guess I hit a nerve about one of your idols. n/t

[Jennicut]

23. If good old Gene Robinson needs a prayer for his latent teabag

tendencies then the world truly IS fucked. I actually love Robinson and he has been a favorite of mine for many years. And he is right about this one...sometimes the American people are idiots. Look at Bush winning in 2004.

[Ramulux]

20. Great article

"This isn’t an “electoral wave,” it’s a temper tantrum."

I dont think I could have put it better myself. I dont always agree with Gene but this is a pretty succinct explanation of what is going on in this country right now.

Now I have a million different problems with Obama and I think he has made some unbelievably stupid decisions but at the same time, he has been a damn good president especially if you look at it in a historical context. If you want to be an idealist and talk about what "should" be happening in this country regardless of politics, then yeah Obama sucks pretty bad, but if you look at the situation realistically he has done more for progressives than any president since LBJ.

I have said this before and I will say it again, the problem that we have with politics in this country is that everyone thinks that they can have a legitimate opinion about the political atmosphere regardless of whether or not they understand anything about political science. The future of this country is being decided by people who literally just dont understand the basics of political science and are being told what to think by evil, rich assholes who want to manipulate them.

He makes a great point about how republicans have a 10 point deficit in the approval ratings but somehow have a 10 point lead in the generic congressional ratings. That is a very obvious disconnect between what the majority of Americans think about republicans and how they are going to vote. Kudos to Gene for making a very true statement that many supposed journalists would never say simply because of this ridiculous idea that the American people can never be criticized.

[BeyondGeography]

28. Hooray for Eugene

Our system allows for an enlightened electorate. It is about time someone called fickle on the people.

[xxqqqzme]

29. Only one president in my voting lifetime

has had a plan for the future. He warned it would take sacrifice but we would all benefit. He was ridiculed. Then along came a simpleminded, addled brain who promised a 'New Dawn for America' and he was hailed as a savior!

[ibegurpard]

30. or maybe they're willing to be patient but don't like the direction we're going

A LOT of money went to bail out banks...why not WPA-type programs?
Poll after poll showed support for government-funded healthcare options...we got mandates to purchase insurance.
That's not incremental progress...that's backsliding.

[Safetykitten]

31. Eugene up on his mortgage payment? Better be with that type of writing.

[David Zephyr]

32. Too late for an R, but an enthusiastic Kick.

Excellent article! :)

[ShadowLiberal]

33. That's been a problem for years, campaigns are like who can bribe you better

Seriously, just look at how politicians talk about tax and debt/deficit issues. All the people who propose plans to not pay for all the spending and require the government to keep on boring billions each year are basically bribing you by proposing plans that benefit you short term but not long term.

[JCMach1]

34. It is a temper tantrum on the Right AND the Left

The right for no reason than that they lost.


And on the Left rightfully so, because the coalition that elected Obama and the current Congress expected them to enact a PROGRESSIVE AGENDA. Obama and Congress forgot about that 53% majority that elected them and focused on the 47% that will never come around whatever you do.

The temper tantrum on the Left will most likely cost the Democrats Congress as they sit this election out.

[Bluenorthwest]

38. The very idea of including the word 'painless'

with such high unemployment, such a vast number of foreclosures, and so much pain already being felt by so many Americans seems callous to me. Do the jobless expect no pain, the homeless? People are going hungry in America, and Robinson stomps his highly paid right foot and claims these suffering people expect painless solutions? They'd love one painless day, Eugene, one day in which the driver comes to deliver you to your highly compensated position telling the unemployed they are engaging in magical thinking.
I suggest that Robinson, like the bulk of the chattering classes, the Beltway Regulars, has little contact with or knowledge of people outside his highly affluent world. He is among the last people who would know what the American people want. For example, I'd lay odds that Robinson's income has gone way up over the same period of time that has done so much harm to the nation he claims demand the impossible. Hey, Eugene, we are demanding things you already have, equal rights, decent pay, excellent health care, and in the end, Eugene, we are demanding respect.
Painless? Does Eugene at least give a pass to those who are without adequate work, who have lost their homes, who are on the streets when he claims the nation demands instant and painless? Or are they on the rich man's shit list as well?

[RBInMaine]

39. Absolutely fuckin-A spot on ! A bunch of whiners who want things fixed in two seconds.

[hulka38]

40. The policies have sucked.

They're not really restructuring the economy, they're investing in Afghanistan's infrastructure...
"reforming an unsustainable system of entitlements" - sounds like he's advocating cutting SS.

That's a member of the professional left putting Obama loyalty ahead of good policy.