A certain strand of Beltway political thought has a problem with the budget deficit. By definition the failure of the parties to agree to a balanced deficit reduction package is equally the fault of both Democrats and Republicans. That's a core element of BipartisanThink. At the same time, deficit hawks actively want to get politicians to agree with their prescriptions. So the risk always exists that the hawks will get what they want and someone will agree with them. That's what's happened with Barack Obama and most of the Democratic congressional leadership. At that point, a paradox occurs since again, by definition both parties are equally to blame.This is a crucial part of explaining why our media can seem so dysfunctional when it comes to explaining political problems in Washington. Pundits and editorial boards start from the conclusion that both parties are equally to blame for the sequester and work backwards to try and shape their description of the political world they try to cover. So you begin with the idea that both parties are too blame and look for evidence that supports that, while discarding evidence that might contradict it. As Jonathan Chait recently pointed out a lot of pundits found themselves in a jam because recent political events surrounding the sequester where not following the one true path of BipartisanThink:
On the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand, they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a plan in particular. Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.David Brook's responded to this paradox by just cold making things up, which he apologized for yesterday, but few pundits are so open about their failings and even less would respond by changing their mind about who is at fault. If you want to understand the Beltway media, you have to understand BipartisanThink.
On the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital
priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts
to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand,
they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame
for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a
plan in particular.
Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and
the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental
tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the
facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.
- See more at: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital
priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts
to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand,
they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame
for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a
plan in particular.
Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and
the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental
tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the
facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.
- See more at: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On
the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital
priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts
to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand,
they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame
for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a
plan in particular.
Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and
the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental
tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the
facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.
- See more at: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On
the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital
priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts
to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand,
they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame
for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a
plan in particular.
Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and
the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental
tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the
facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.
- See more at: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On
the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital
priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts
to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand,
they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame
for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a
plan in particular.
Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and
the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental
tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the
facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.
- See more at: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital
priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts
to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand,
they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame
for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a
plan in particular.
Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and
the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental
tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the
facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.
- See more at: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On
the one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital
priority is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts
to retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand,
they believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame
for the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a
plan in particular.
Their problem is that one party agrees with them completely, and
the other rejects them. This creates a paradox between the two mental
tentpoles of BipartisanThink. The solution is to simply wish away the
facts, thus bringing them into line with reality.
- See more at: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On the
one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital priority
is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts to
retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand, they
believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame for
the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a plan
in particular. - See more at:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
On the
one hand, they fervently believe that the country’s most vital priority
is to pass a plan to reduce the deficit through a mix of cuts to
retirement programs and reduced tax deductions. On the other hand, they
believe with equal fervor that the two parties are equally to blame for
the country’s problems in general, and the failure to pass such a plan
in particular. - See more at:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/david-brooks-obama-plan-birther.html#sthash.XRnn2N51.dpuf
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