Colorado Progressive

Something profound has happened this week in American politics. A unified message has appeared across all three branches of the federal government, albeit unintentionally. In the United States today, we now understand that the role of government is not to govern, but to scrabble for power. Call me naive, but I had held out hope for more.

The collapse of health care reform (and the Democratic party) and the extreme distance communicated by the White House convey that at both the legislative and executive branches focus is furiously turned to staying in power. Both of these attitudes demonstrate that, in fact, obstruction rules. In the House, attention turns to navigating a fearsome squeeze between the White House and the Senate over health care and bracing for midterm defeats. In the White House, the meme becomes indifference on health care (a callous mistake) and renewed focus on jobs, banking regulation, and provoking China over Internet censorship. All of this is meant, feebly, to turn the media narrative to something, anything, other than health care reform and the deep flaws in the Democratic party.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ruled that organizations enjoy the same rights as individuals under the Constitution. In other words, the government may no longer regulate the flow of cash from billion-dollar businesses to campaign funds and direct advertising on your television during election season (or any other time). The consequences will be breathtaking. Even Senator McCain and the president seem to be on the same page on that.

Politicians have always been for hire, and elections have always been susceptible to purchase, and government has always been a tool of the wealthy; yet this week marks a turning point in American politics. Across all three branches of government, we have marked an institutional endorsement of the status quo. To quote a famous politician, “Make no mistake:” government is first and foremost on the side of money, power, and the status quo.