By Allan Erickson

Watching the round-table discussion on ABC Sunday mornings is instructive.  George Will always provides unique insight couched in history.  He made the essential point recently that the two political parties are so far apart that any compromise on financial issues appears unlikely. Along with Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin on the panel, Will’s input was routinely constructive, oriented to problem-solving, never going so low as to employ personal attack.

Others, like Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Paul Krugman, agreed with Will: there is a tremendous trust deficit responsible for gridlock.

Conservatives in Congress do not trust this President, and for good reason.  It is very difficult, if impossible, to work with someone who smiles reassuringly in private, then eviscerates in public.

I find it amusing people like Wasserman-Schultz and Krugman decry distrust and gridlock.  They call for restoring trust.  And in the very next breath, they attack conservatives as liars and obstructionists.  Apparently, they didn’t learn everything they need to know in kindergarten.

Wasserman-Schultz never missed a chance to demonize Republicans and the Tea Party, her central reason for existence it appears.  Krugman called Jeb Bush a liar and dolt and condemned anyone embracing Reaganomics.  Without missing a beat, both of these people also called for a new civility and real debate!  Beholding this display of dysfunction only served to buttress Will’s point: an intractable Left prefers demonization, which accounts largely for the gridlock. Promoting failure is successful for them, so why change?

However, it appears the Poser in the White House is beginning to employ a little of Reagan’s wisdom reaching out to the other side of the aisle, a “hopeful” sign say some Republicans.  It won’t work.  You cannot make a dove from a strutting peacock.

Recently, we have seen the Poser attack Republicans for sequestration cuts he created, close the White House to public visitation, and claim those cuts prevent the people access to The People’s House.  We have seen him play other games to make the ‘pain’ as severe as possible, such as suspending all college programs for military personnel and threatening massive layoffs, resulting in reduced security. Fear and demonization are and will remain the centerpiece of the Poser’s attitude.

But to appear like a real leader, the Poser then took Senators to dinner in a phony show of willing conciliation.  Have we forgotten this man has hammered conservatives most of his adult life, most intensely in the last four years?  In one night, we are supposed to forget years of double-dealing, underhanded maneuvers, accusations, and vicious denunciations?

To their credit, conservatives appear willing to attempt, once again, to work with this Alinsky organizer, whose motto is ‘isolate and ridicule.’  However, they should be reminded of Reagan’s advice when dealing with a lawless adversary: “trust, but verify.”  It might also be prudent to look into drone countermeasures.

Photo credit: Jessie Owen (Creative Commons)