Armageddon Frustrated

Some people like their politics hardcore and without compromise. They believe the last sound we hear from the floor of the debate should not be cheers of agreement but a loud snap - when a boot crushes their opponent's spine.

If this seems slightly over-the-top I urge you to surf around today. Examples are easy to find from both the Left and the Right. Rush Limbaugh in particular can be expected to be royally miffed about the filibuster compromise. (I hope to find time to listen.)

Sorry folks - I am one of those idealists that believes that the culture war is getting tiresome - and if it keeps getting out of hand, the extremists from both sides could really do as much to harm to the United States as a foreign threat.

In this case, while I have some reservations, I believe the deal was a wise one. Let's try for as long as possible to maintain one small pocket of the federal government - one half of the legislative branch - where people conduct themselves with the ultimate objective of agreement, not vicious mutual destruction.

I'm familiar with the argument that moderates and compromisers are a group of spineless wimps who "want to be liked". This is a masculine argument, and it reminds me of the characterization of Republicans as 'the Daddy party' and Democrats as 'the Mommy party'. It's a tidy conclusion, and perhaps true on the balance, but any father worth his salt can be a hard-ass at times and also (hopefully) demonstrably caring towards the kids. Neither families nor nations should be run on the sole principle of cracking heads together.

But rest assured, there won't be peace in the backseat of this political car ride for very long. Hyper-partisans need only wait until a Supreme Court justice announces his or her retirement. At that point all of this will become prelude.