Thursday, January 03, 2008

What's Politics For

Stoller comments a bit more on the bipartisan/independent disease. It's a message the mainstream media - and many politicians - have been transmitting for years, that somehow politics is about finding ways to get along. It isn't. It's a contest to put people in power so they can enact a particular agenda. There isn't a "good" set of policies which would be implemented if only we stopped arguing. People argue because they disagree and because policies impact different people and sectors and interest groups in different ways.

There's nothing wrong with bipartisanship, and given the peculiar nature of our government and recent voting patterns it's often necessary to pass legislation. But it isn't a goal in and of itself. In fact, it isn't important at all except to the extent to which it enables things to happen.

People disagree about stuff. Grow up.