Saturday, December 11, 2010

LBJ, Imagined: Some Lessons For The Current Incumbent

President Obama (aka, "Shamwow," and "ThePrez") has been having difficulties getting the Congress to take seriouly his agenda, and to act upon it "with all deliberate speed."

My more reasonable, more reflective, more moderate doppelganger, Prof Wombat, inscribed this report "overheard" from the ether:
Were Lyndon Johnson, say, pushing DADT repeal (or "the public option," for that matter), he'd have invited every Senator over to the WhiteHouse for lunch. The following colloquy might have ensued:
"Y'know, son, WE have the majority.

"You represent the good citizens of the State of (...), who'd like their bridges to remain safe to drive on, their farmers to be subsidised, their water to keep flowing, their airports and airlines still in service, their state's businesses the beneficiary of military contracts, and like that, I am sure you'd agree?

"I am equally certain they'd also like to be sure that, next time they vote for a Senator, they aren't voting for someone who fucks pigs and eats small, cute puppies.

"Senator, I'm the president of all the people, and I naturally care about your constituents too, and appreciate your desire to do well by them. I really do, and I'd like to help and your constituents, too continue to enjoy the benefits of Federal beneficence.

"So, now, let us come and reason together...And don't fucking forget who I am, you fucking asshole.
I'd guess they'd have eked it out...
I think what the folks who complained that BHO wasn't "experienced" enough for the job had something like this in mind, cuz on his BEST day, you cannot imagine the grinning, meliorating, negotiating, give-away artist having the STONES to lay down the law.

1 comment:

  1. LBJ was great at that stuff. It's too bad the Vietnam War derailed him or he'd have gone down in history as one of our greatest presidents. As it is he got the Voting Rights Act and Medicare and lots of other important legislation passed. And on top of his negotiating style up there, he also knew where all the bodies were buried after being in Congress for so many years!

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