Transformational vs. Achievable

And James Pethokoukis has some advice for Democrats in The Week:

Americans haven’t seen a lot of successful governance lately, from the Iraq War to the global financial crisis of 2008 to the COVID-19 pandemic. And while I’m no fan of the $3.5 trillion bill, it would reflect incredibly poorly on American democracy — both domestically and internationally — if we can’t even fill a few potholes, strengthen a few bridges, and promptly raise the debt ceiling so financial markets stay calm and the United States doesn’t look like an utter laughingstock. Progressives need to pass something here if they don’t want to help turn their fascism fears into self-fulfilling prophecy.

So if progressive Democrats have to settle for a far smaller social spending bill — perhaps with means testing of new “universal” programs, for instance — they should grab the opportunity, right after they vote overwhelmingly for the infrastructure bill and the debt hike. American democracy will thank them for it.

When I was a kid my dad was the president of our street’s homeowners’ association. Every weekend he would go out with a wheelbarrow full of blacktop and a tamping tool and faithfully patch holes in the street that ran in front of our house. I should check to see if he expensed the blacktop to the HOA.

Contrary to Mr. Pethokoukis’s suggestion if we don’t “fill a few potholes” it will be because we have other priorities—in good part higher standards of living for politicians and other public employees. The reason that trust in government is waning is not because we can’t manage to fill a few potholes but because we do manage to have politicians who end up with lavish retirement homes in the Bahamas.