3. It is bad enough that Obama thinks his mistakes don't stink, and that Republicans would rather reign in Hell than compromise with Democrats. These sentiments, noxious though they are, are only symptoms. Voters — America's John and Jane Does — do not want to face up to the fact that for years they have been electing bozos to local, state, and national offices. Is it any surprise that these bozos perform like clown-school graduates?
Political discourse these days is too often callow, shallow, and crude. A culture of instant gratification has spawned an electorate that is immature, if not ignorant. The problems the nation faces have been 30 years in the making. They are not going to disappear within a year, no matter who is president.
Still, the public is justifiably anxious and understandably fearful. The left lashing out at a White House strategy intended to address middle-class anxiety may not be as pernicious as GOP nihilism, but it has the unmistakable stench of uncompromising sanctimony. That is a scent that rarely wears well.
Those heady "Yes, We Can" days that followed Obama's election and inauguration are sentiments from an almost-distant past. It is sobering to realize that things may well get worse before they get better — or stay bad for longer than anticipated. It is time to temper hope with resolve.
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