Legal Commentary

Slaves To Congress

By Big Tent Democrat

Ezra Klein posits that the Obama Administration is proposing the plans it is proposing on the financial crisis and the economic crisis because it is constrained by Congress:

One of [Obama economic advisor] Laura Tyson's interesting remarks last night came in reply to a questioner who faulted the White House for insufficient ambition. Her response had nothing to do with policy or economics. It was ab[o]ut Congress. "They accomplish what they can accomplish within the realities of the Congress," she shot back. "And the Democratic coalition is breaking already." Critics, she said, need to stop focusing on the White House and begin focusing on Congress. Tyson is pretty plugged in. It's a safe bet that if congressional obstruction has colonized her thinking . . . then it's probably what's obsessing the administration, too.

More . . .

This to me is a startling hypothesis. Certainly it is true that politics is the art of the possible. But one would hope that before settling for "the possible," the Obama Administration would propose what they think will work and then try hard to make it politically possible. Instead, if Ezra is correct, the Obama Administration is using the reverse approach - figure out what seems politically possible and then presenting it as their plan to "fix the problem." This of course leads to more settling later, as the "moderates" will need to prove their "moderation" (see stimulus package) and we are left with a plan that no one really believes will work. This is a terrible way to govern and I do not accept that it is necessary. At the least, try for the solution you think will work before you settle for one that you don't think will work.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 27, 2009 (boomark / email).