Introducing the
Cui Bono theory of politics.
Two months ago, while experimenting with the New Google Writely, to see if it
would handle CSS (crude sarcastic smartass) , I wrote the following:
The Joe Lieberman Weakly asks
Does
Ned Lamont's victory mean McGovernism has returned? I dunno ? Does
Joe Lieberman's Defeat Mean the
Return of the
Dixicrats
Or Did
They
Never
Leave
?
Now the morning after a
historic
victory, I find the Enigma of Lieberman to be worth discussing.
More after the break
There
are a number of open questions and capabilities, as the military would call them when
discussing catastrophe:
Last night, leaving the Boulder County Democratic Party Election Night Party, I repeated to a friend, the Connecticut Master Bait and Switch Theory which comes
via
Brad
Delong, and is summarized Donald out, Lieberman in, Rell appoints GOP and Senate Switches:
Game Rove. Also
noted
by the
15-year-old
It has the virtue of explaining three enigmae:
- What Do Libermens' Really Want
-
Why did the Dems
soft support Lamont
- What's Karl up to ?
Then Bush fracked up the theory. So now a better explanation. This is based on the theory of the rational agent.
What Do Libermens' Really Want
Well to be Senator, duh. He is also an oxymoron, i.e. a rational agent and a neocon. If there is one thing we know about Neocon's, they were
against the war on Iraq from the
beginning. Actually there are two things we know about Neocons, they don't like to get their hands dirty except in slinging mud.
So as Steve
says why would he take a bad temp job when he can stay and Senator and hold the balance of power. Somewhere, and I've lost it on the Internets is someone I respect saying that Lieberman will continue to suck up to Bush, enjoy the date rape of bipartisanship, screw us on critical votes, and bad mouth us on talk shows.
Why did the Dems soft support Lamont
Reid, Both Clintons, Pelosi have access to the best polls (and pols) money can buy and they could count. They knew the Senate was a long shot. They knew Lamont was a long shot. (Oh if only he had real ballsy Dem support he woulda won. Or not). If they support Lamont officially and give him some money, but if Lamont had won, they would have won and if (as happened in Reality) then they would be back to Joe being Joe (see above).
What's Karl up to ?
- Lamont Wins Primary
- Rove has access to best pols etc. Looking at the situation through Rove colored glasses, he sees that best outcome is Lieberman wins.
- All it takes is some money, some fluffing, and voila, you have an even more compliant Joe. You can rely on Joe being Joe (see above).
The Moral
You don't have to assume people are evil or wimps to understand their actions.
AKA The
cui bono theory of politics.