I've been watching and listenting to how the first 18 days (yes, its only been 18 days) of the new administration are being covered by the news channels, radio, and blogs and have come to a conclusion.
Thank God FDR didn't have to try to pass the New Deal in this atmosphere.
What has become apparent is that the news personalities and politicians can't give up their perch of punditry and old politics.
It has become about the process, political points, and dissecting every detail of negotiation.
Truth be told, the end result of the stimulus package isn't going to look like the beginning. And it should come as no shock to anyone.
There will be things cut that progressives will be angry about, things added that conservatives will scream about. Because, like the proverbial sausage factory, this is how laws get made in DC.
The difference is not too many decades ago, the process happened and the public got an update once a day via broadcast news or newspaper. Today, every detail of negotiation is available immediately, and both sides comment constantly about each change or negotiation.
Some say that's a good thing. Transparency is always good. And I understand the argument and am happy for people that pay close attention fighting for what is the best for the country.
In my view, though, its much like the saugsage factory I spoke of earlier. I'm not sure I want to watch every detail of the making of it - as long as the end result is what I want.
So I'm sitting back a bit, waiting to see how this turns out (while lobbying my own Senators' offices for inclusion of strong infrastructure spending), rather that screaming at each twist and turn of negotiation and trying to keep score of the negotiation as if it were a basketball game instead of an economic rescue package.
I may be wrong about this approach, but I can tell you one thing:
When the sausage is finished, I won't be so sick from watching the process that I won't be able to eat it if its good.