"A political war of attrition"--or not

Milbank writes an uncommonly severe prospectus for Obama's second term:

[I]t’s difficult to see anything ahead but a long and tedious slog: not a civil war, mercifully, but a political war of attrition.

The "civil war" reference is meant as a kind of presidential baseline by which Milbank compares Lincoln's historic first term and the magnificent hopes for his second to the tediousness of contemporary politics.

Lincoln was at that time [of his second inaugural] winning the Civil War and permanently abolishing slavery. Today, instead of great moral causes, we have ceaseless and petty bickering over paying federal debts.

The profoundest irony of Lincoln's presidential legacy is that it almost certainly would have suffered had he fulfilled it. The politics of Reconstruction were nearly as hostile as their antebellum predecessors, and Lincoln's pragmatically intended "charity" toward a readmitted South had him on a vicious collision course with the committed moralists of the day, the Radical Republicans. Had he served his second term, would Lincoln be remembered as fondly as he is? Probably not.

But, who knows? That's the problem with writing history that never transpired, just as it's a problem to write of a future that hasn't occurred--all tautologies considered, that is. Yet Milbank's gloominess is on to something real in foreseeing an endless "political war of attrition." While this is no civil war, of course, national politics do bear a grim resemblance to WWI's trench warfare. Each side is dug in, and neither seems particularly inspired to now try something completely different. Grand strategies and bold designs have degenerated into capturing a few yards of political territory, then surrenduring same, only to recapture the lost ground tomorrow, ad infinitum.

The tedium, the grind, the dispiriting monotony is worse than any blood spilled in a decisive showdown, because in the meantime we're hemorrhaging confidence in the nation's political institutions. And it's only that moment, that inescapable showdown, the timing of that decisive presidential strike against the GOP's unreconstructed nihilists that will immortalize Obama's second term--or his Democratic successor's first.

Comments

[Robert Lipscomb]

All politics of both of Obama's administrations must first be evaluated as a function of the economy.

The economic crash of 2008 made possible the election of our fir African-American president and allowed him to win handily.

When the full impact of the crash had been felt by 2010, the Tea Party arose from the ashes.

By 2012 the economy was well into recovery, and people were unwilling to risk its continued success by switching to a president who wanted to go backwards.

A full recovery will be realized during his second term, and that trumps everything currently in sight.

[priscianus jr]

The Republicans are dug in, yes, but they are doomed. There is no way out. I think even they see it that way. That's why they are dug in.

[Peter G]

The truly awesome thing about the American system of government is that is pretty much requires horse trading to achieve anything. And make no mistake, there are many things even the most die hard conservative Republicans want. Many want to be re-elected and that means bringing home the bacon to their districts or states. No way around it. The deals must be made and so sitting on your ass for two or four years is not an option for our Republican friends. Endlessly delaying immigration reform is not an option. Endlessly undermining the economy is not an option. Just saying no would have killed them in the last election if it were not for gerrymandering and that can't save them from their increasingly bleak options. Who knew that their "thousand points of light" would ultimately be the burning fragments of an exploded party?

[mphillip]

I do not understand the "both sides will dig in and not try anything different...."

I thought that the (this blog's) constant critique of the Obama administration is its supposed)lack of fealty to principle and fetishization of process.

I swear I do not understand the drumbeat of cynicism (albeit predictable; should expect it by now)meeting this president AND the coalitions that re-elected him.

Yes, Virginia's republicans wasted time yesterday passing some sort of redistricting scheme that won't pass any kind of serious (judicial) scrutiny.

But Virginia went Blue - twice, and the "plan" was necessary because of the unavoidable march of demographics.

As a boomer African American daughter of the South, I am so very grateful to a Movement core that did not listen to the steady drumbeat of "things will never change."

These repub a-holes are amateurs compared to the Dixicrats/Old Confederates/Nixon Southern Strategists.

BTW: Dana MILBANKS????!!! The guy who pops out a column every ten minutes? The guy who had Romney winning?

Please...

I think I'll wait for the movie.

mphillip