LITTLE ROCK — A few days ago, Dr. Bradley Gitz wrote a column expressing his concern for the future of political liberals.
Such a compassionate outpouring of human tenderness should not go unnoticed. Dear friends, the man has a by-gosh heart of gold.
Although such a benevolent sentiment, especially from the William Jefferson Clinton professor of international politics at Lyon College in Batesville, is to be lauded, things are really not so bad for us on the left. Most progressives are still permitted the use of shoestrings and razor blades.
One marvelous aspect of this form of government is that, most of the time, people get the government they deserve. That is great comfort for old-school Bolsheviks.
It is true that the election results are a disappointment to those of us who have a genuine concern for the fate of honest working folks and their families and a counter-balancing suspicion of large corporations and the narrow interests of a tiny number of privileged individuals. Reports of the death of liberalism, however, are vastly overstated.
Referencing the kindly professor’s football analogy, Barack Obama has not even played the game from the 50-yard line. A powerful Republican offense has kept the administration deep in its own territory and continuously on defense. One must credit the GOP for staying “on message,” even if that message is mostly negative.
The president has suffered stiff opposition despite playing a significant leadership role in passing stimulus legislation that probably spared us from something much worse than the Depression of 1929. He also led the successful fight for the first national reform of our health insurance system.
Many of us believe this president has been far too friendly with corporate interests. This is best exemplified by his private negotiations with drug companies prior to the introduction of health care legislation and the soft position taken toward British Petroleum after the catastrophic oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.
There is some reason to believe that the Obama White House is preparing to seek a more cooperative relationship with congressional Republicans. It is difficult to imagine how the president’s closest aides keep their jobs while apparently promoting such total nonsense.
Compromise means that Obama has surrendered the moral high ground. By not taking a principled stand, he loses any chance to take credit for success or place blame. If ever there was a time to hold Republicans responsible, this is it.
The immediate business at hand is extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Any concession on this key point means the permanent enshrinement of fiscal favoritism. This is a trillion-dollar budget buster. Billionaire Warren Buffett thinks the rich should pay more taxes and he is right.
Obama had better realize that the political alternative is to take it out on the elderly, disabled and poorest Americans. That is the Republican plan for deficit reduction, and this administration owes it to his own party, and all the citizens of this great land, to hold them personally accountable.
Mr. President, here is a hint: Harry Truman.
The speculation that Republicans have more political room in which to maneuver ignores the tea-party movement. These people have won some elections and deserve recognition in the new House leadership. No matter what you call them, this entire coalition is motivated only by a desire to defeat Obama.
Democrats are suffering from a severe idea deficit. The opposition is more intellectually active and highly motivated at the grass-roots level. Our team is having trouble coming up with inspiring players (the name of Blanche Lincoln comes immediately to mind) and comprehensive policies that benefit families.
Democratic candidates are generally better than Republicans, but that is often little more than a choice between electrocution and lethal injection. By contrast, tea-party candidates are willing to get their hands dirty and go to war for whatever it is they believe in.
History has something to say about this. When President George H.W. Bush led the country to a swift defeat of Iraq, it was suggested that Democrats should not even bother holding a nominating convention. The Bush approval ratings were in the 90 percent range, but a few short months later a relative unknown from Hope, Ark., took the White House.
Back in 1974, when Richard Milhous Nixon waved farewell to Washington, it was widely believed that the Watergate scandal would translate to Republican doom. History speaks for itself.
Democrats scored a convincing presidential victory in 2008. Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000. A McClatchy-MaristInstitute poll conducted Nov. 11-13 says that 51 percent of Americans want the new health care law to stay as it is or be expanded.
Obama and congressional Democrats have plenty of maneuvering room if they will show a little nerve. Republicans have cast themselves as the party of the loud perpetual “no.” Despite recent victories, that is not enough to sustain a long-term ascendancy.
Free-lance columnist Pat Lynch has been a radio broadcaster in Central Arkansas for more than 20 years.
Editorial, Pages 11 on 11/29/2010