Choosing An Adage

Within, but not limited to, my politically social circle Republicans are considered representative of the corporate interests, when opposed to those of the public. To dispute this stereotype, many party devotees triumphantly point out that corporate America contributed equally to both political parties in the 2008 election. True enough. But for obvious reasons they avoid mentioning that these same interests are now contributing overwhelming to Republicans.

There’s no mystery why. In 2008 they were just playing it safe. Knowing that Barack Obama was at least even money to be president and that corporate political contributions are no secret, these people felt it in their interest that the new president wouldn’t take office feeling that corporate America had been hell bent on seeing that he didn’t. So far Barack Obama has hardly been another Roosevelt, Teddy or Franklin, when it comes to leveling the playing field.  But the fact that he has been considerably less compliant with corporate America than his predecessor has put an end to the need for this pretense.

In disputed matters the corporate side of this equation is generally aligned with producers as the public side is with consumers. Since becoming president Obama has taken on producers in health care insurance and the financial sector. Republicans have been understandably careful not to publicly identify themselves with the producers of health care insurance and whatever Wall Street produces. So they’ve had to fall back on fictions like “death panels” and reliable clichés like socialism. A surefire winner is that old devil “government,” hellfire damnation of which is always good for a standing ovation by the faithful.

The Gulf oil spill has altered this calculation. Government can be criticized for allowing it to happen, which hardly limits this oversight to the current administration.  But there’s no way around the fact that the event was the direct consequence of the action of British Petroleum! Does anyone remember that BP was one of the five companies considered major beneficiaries of our controlling Iraq oil after the invasion?

At this point Republicans have no choice but to acknowledge BP culpability as the official party line. This was more than over a hundred red blooded Republican Congressmen, most conspicuously ranking Energy Committee Member Joe Barton, could stand. They referred to the $20 billion BP has agreed to put in escrow as partial compensation for damage as a “shakedown.” Cooler heads eventually prevailed and the familiar “I’m sorry if anybody was offended” limited apology was offered. It’s not hard to know what they really believe.  

This saga is just beginning to unfold. Since there’ll be so much more for all of us to talk about as the situation develops I decided to end this simply with an adage. I first considered; “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” and then “old habits die hard.” I finally settled on “you can take the boy from the country, but you can’t take the country from the boy.”