For What it's Worth

I'm pretty sure my opinion on the current political landscape will not make any headlines beyond this website but for what it's worth I think what I'm hearing from President Obama via interviews and statements in the press is among the wisest thoughts I've heard from a politician in sometime.  I would call the current Republicans from the far right "hostage takers".  When a minority holds up legislation that benefits the many in order to obtain rewards for the few, what else would you call it?  By the same token, the swaggering, defiant stand that you don't make deals with hostage takers sounds a lot like the unilateral language of the previous administration that created much of the current problems.  Sometimes hostages get hurt or killed.  Of course that doesn't happen on the hyped up crime dramas on TV which seems to be where many people are getting their version of reality these days.  Sometimes you make a deal and you compromise.  When did the compromise become a dirty word?  I remember when I worked in radio and would get all kinds of advice about programing.  People would earnestly tell me that "all their friends" love this song or show or whatever.  I would try to share that "all their friends" put together made up about a tiny fraction of the listening audience.  In fact, I'd say that my days in broadcasting were a great learning experience.  Not everyone likes or wants exactly the same thing and yet you can provide a product that satisfies a large portion of the population.  The editorial page of your favorite news outlet isn't sacred text, it's an opinion.  Your opinion or mine is one part of the greater whole.  And I don't say "It's JUST a part of the greater whole", that would minimize the value.  Our opinions and beliefs are vital to the big picture, we ARE the big picture but that picture isn't going to look like only one persons vision.  Could the President get a better deal from the hostage takers? perhaps but time and history don't stop when a deal is made.   Compromise, in my opinion, moves you forward to the next opportunity.  The swaggering tough guy from crime fiction who makes no deals is sometimes left standing all alone at the end of the day with nothing to show for the bravado.  I'd rather be walking forward.