The Nature of Compromise

A huge element of the current narrative relating to the fiscal crisis and governmental shutdown is the nature of "compromise." Each side, both Democrats and Republicans, are claiming that the other side is simply unwilling to come to the table without conditions and work out a negotiated deal.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this is that the conventional media sources are not challenging this narrative. It is simply seen that both Democrats and Republicans need to put their pride aside and be willing to give some stuff up to get a deal. Democrats need to give up some of the ACA, and Republicans will raise the debt ceiling and re-open the government. Even typing that out, however, reveals the utter lunacy of this conversation. The debt ceiling, in its most basic definition, is allowing the treasury to pay for debts that the US government has already incurred. So, despite the GOP protesting that it has a vested interest in not raising the debt ceiling, that excuse does not stand up to a simple examination of the facts and reality of civic responsibility.

The narrative that, "Republicans are asking Democrats to abandon their signature legislative achievement in order for the GOP to do what is required of it," is rarely posited by anyone in the media other than far-left pundits. But regardless, the idea that there exists a pure equivalency between the two parties and what they are asking for is pursued without much critical thought.

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