It’s too early to know which party will win in November. But it’s easy to look into the future and guess how each would govern after victory.
Let’s say that Mr. Obama squeaks through and gets reelected. And the Democrats hold on to the Senate. And in spite of reapportionment finagling and voter disenfranchisement gambits by Republicans they also somehow manage to eke out a majority in the House of Representatives. What will likely happen then?
The losing Republicans, backed by an ever malleable press, will proclaim that Americans are tired of fractured, divided, do-nothing government, that the people demand bipartisan approaches to problems, and its time to move beyond extremes. The surviving 40-plus Republicans in the Senate will also say they are ready to deal — if their views are taken into account.
The negotiating will then begin, a reelected Obama taking the lead, abetted by Wall Street-friendly, Clinton-era hangers-on taking temporarily leaves from their Wall Street sinecures. Every attempt will be made not to unduly anger potential filibusterers among the 40-plus remaining Republican senators.
The result in this Democratic-controlled Congress and Administration? Every takeaway from the rich will be more than compensated by new tax or other breaks for these worthies, while none of the takeaways from the poor and middle class will receive any form of compensation. A fig-leaf bow to the left, but a real world swing in the other direction.
Now let’s consider a Republican victory in November. Governor Romney wins the White House. His party holds on to the House. It gains enough seats in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, or maybe is just a seat or two short.
Republicans and the press now declare this a clear mandate to pursue a conservative agenda. They are few calls for compromise, in spite of razor thin majorities at the polls and in Congress. Any threatened liberal filibusters in the Senate are squashed by ferocious cries of “obstructionism” of the people’s wishes. There are no compromises on policy. We won so we govern, is the credo on view here. The result is a hard swing to the right, no fig leaves needed.
How do I know this will happen no matter who wins in November? Because I know that just as character is destiny for individuals, it’s also destiny for political parties.
We very clearly know the character of both our major political parties. Like them or not, the Republicans have character. Like them or not, the Democrats, well…not so much. Not lately anyway.