Paradise Lost or a new beginning

OK. So, BHO goes down to the Hill and personally lobbies representatives of the other party to pass the stimulus bill. He doesn't call names or threaten anyone politically, or invoke the anger of the people, or in any other way hurl invectives. He actually removes some pieces of the bill that the representatives find offensive, although does not give substantially.

When the vote comes, not a single one of the those representatives vote for BHO's bill. In fact, they come out in force on the television to shittalk the thing.

BHO, instead of launching a full-scale blame game, has them over for drinks that evening instead.

He's said from the beginning that he was going to change the tone in DC. His opponents have paid lip service to such a thing, but clearly have no intention of following through. But BHO is clearly in this for the long game. While not turning the other cheek, he's doing his best to include the other team.

This isn't a partisan thing. BHO is pure-bread politics; by remaining cool, friendly, and focused, (and winning at the same time), he's building his street cred with the people. By driving his agenda as quickly as possible, trying to bring others along and being incredibly (why not just say it) nice to them, he's not only accomplishing policy goals but laying groundwork for long-term grasp of power.

He's making them look like irritable children.

The more interesting part is whether or not this style will play in the Senate. While BHO has the party muscle to drive his bills through in the House, he lacks the necessary votes in the branch from whence he came. How will he finesse his way to victory there?

And, will the opposition party start picking up his vibes and following him or will they continue their petulance? What will that mean about policy designed to help this country from it's doldrums in the short term? What will it mean for the 2010 elections? What will it say about we, the American people, if we embrace the opposition's 'taxes, taxes, taxes' credo?

The best possible outcome, to my mind, here is that BHO drives the opposition party to some new understanding of partisan politics and drives elections that are debates over policy prescriptions, arguments about implementation of new ideas, that grapple with the problems of today.

The schadenfreude of watching the opposition double-down right now, even as they continue eating themselves from within in their own leadership contest, does nothing to ease my concerns on what the implications are for the next two years. If this kind of rancor from their corner continues, what is bad now in our society will only become worse.