Paul Waldman asks just how far will Republicans go in opposing Obama.
It is the opposition’s job to oppose, of course, and a political party must balance two sets of motivations. On one side are those telling them to gum up the works: stop policies they sincerely find distressing, and gloat when the ruling party stumbles. On the other side are those encouraging at least some cooperation: solve problems and keep the government doing its job. The first set is usually stronger and provides powerful incentives for the opposition to root for failure. But it’s one thing to hope the president fails to institute a new program you don’t like and something else entirely to hope the president fails to improve the economy or secure our common defense.
