A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

It isn't just Republicans opposed to the incoming Administration's idea of economic stimulus. Democrats are uneasy as well.

Depressingly, I have to think that the President-elect is still enough of a movie star in the minds of the American electorate--not to mention in the minds of members of Congress--that something close to his stimulus plan will still find its way into the books. But perhaps if someone gave people like Alice Rivlin a megaphone and allowed for an alliance between Republicans opposed to the stimulus plan and disaffected Democrats like Rivlin who understand that whatever the degree of celebrity Barack Obama may possess, his economic policy proposals are unlikely to bring about any real relief, enough genuinely reality-based opposition to the incoming Administration will develop and allow for Obamaian stimulus proposals to be resisted and defeated.

This would, of course, dramatically weaken the incoming Administration and perhaps set up Barack Obama to be a one-term President. More importantly, it would get rid of some very bad policy proposals and give us the chance to adopt better ones in their stead. Both of these outcomes are just fine with me.