Well That Didn’t Last Long

Why does the media get so worked up over every little move in Washington? It seems to have a desire to create news from each and every breath rather than taking a longer term look at things. Today is no different.

Overnight the presses were stopped pending news of a “breakthrough” in negotiations over the crisis – perhaps I ought refer to our many crises.

Anyway, we were told, that big things were brewing in the Senate, which has not been, lately, an epicenter of anything particularly big. Well, not if you exclude Ted Cruz’s ego. So when yesterdays’ last, last ditch effort to break the “impasse” was cancelled by the White House we were all told to wait eagerly for reports of happier days ahead.

Not so fast.

First, the “breakthrough” turned out to be nothing but a temporary respite. The Senate, perhaps mindful of year end holidays to protect, was merely going to punt the entire crisis into next year and open the way for yet another round of so-called negotiation over our budget/debt ceiling/government shutdown/whatever else the GOP wants crisis.

Second, and surely we have all learned this by now, just because the Senate has come up with a stay of execution for our national reputation it doesn’t mean the House will agree. And, just as night follows day, the House is demurring. Apparently the children there aren’t getting enough goodies to satisfy them. So they are stamping their collective feet and demanding more, and especially a few bites out of Obamacare to make them all feel better.

When I think about it, which is less often now in order to guard my sanity, handing over one or two bits of Obamacare is probably the way in which this farce ends. The Ultras can then march home triumphant, and the rest of us, the grown ups, can get on with trying to undo the damage the children leave behind.

In any case the major “breakthrough” didn’t last long, as anyone not associated with the Washington press corps could have predicted.

We are so ill-served by our  elite right now that we ought consider seeking a merger with a grown up country in order to onboard – to use voguish management consulting jargon – some leadership talent. Any suggestions?

On second thought, why would any other nation want to get involved with our mess? It would be better to wait for us to drive down our national value even further, and then make a takeover offer at bargain basement prices.

At this rate that could be next week.