Glenden BrownThe Bipartisanship Lie and The Progressive Apostasy of Joe Lieberman
I see that Joe Lieberman has at long last completed his transformation into a Republican in everything but name. Lieberman, only 7 years ago the Democratic nominee for Vice President is apparently coming out in support of John McCain for president.
Within the context of his career and his past behavior, this makes perfect sense. Lieberman had a long history of not really supporting of other Democratic office holders and candidates. Lieberman’s 2006 election behavior - losing the primary then leaving the party to run as an independent - demonstrated that he was as dedicated to himself as any organization or principle.
And yet . . . Lieberman has long been a leading proponent of High Broderism - the practice of seeking some middle ground between the two parties for its own sake, the deep seated belief that there is always a reasonable bipartisan solution if only the radical partisans on the progressive of the aisle weren’t so stubborn (the same is never said of Republicans of whom it always believed they are behaving well, even reasonably, no matter the issue or their rhetoric or actual behavior).
In this model, partisanship is deeply problematic - especially if it is Democrats, progressives and liberals engaging in the partisanship. The blogosphere invented IOKIYAR for exactly this mindset - It’s OK if You Are Republican. No matter the issue, Democratic office holders are chastised for daring to hold to any party unity if it blocks an illusory compromise. Lieberman and other pols like him (I’m looking at you Matheson!) can look completely unprincipled.
That they’ve chosen “compromise” and “bipartisanship” over party loyalty makes them (and the utterly incompetent national media) believe they are somehow principled politicians.Â
But they are living in a dream world. There is no compromise position between stay in Iraq forever and get out of Iraq. There is no compromise position between dissolving Social Security and sustaining it. There is no compromise between raising the minimum wage and not raising it or between cutting taxes on the wealthy and following sound fiscal policy. These Blue Dog and Lieberdems would tell you they are acting on principle - the principle of compromise.
But, by endlessly seeking middle ground where there is no middle ground, they are endlessly played for fools by Republicans and the national media who step by step lead them further and further from any real principled political positions into a netherworld where finding that illusory middle ground is more important than anything else.
