Do we all not think very serious beltway (un)reality perception is an issue? I don't put it at centre stage, and I include more morally culpable motivations like Senators wishing to maintain the unhelpful power, not just of their institution, but of their individual offices. But I do think they have illusions about, say, the merits of reflexive centrist sail-trimming that left/lib outsiders do not.
I think that's more applicable to flawed perception relative to the state of the country, or their distorted sense of priorities in terms of special interests. But as far as successfully doing their jobs relative to their Republican counterparts in the very meta-game of politics that they do for a living? I don't find it persuasive, especially when it comes to a cynical serial collaborator like Reid.
My sense is that they'd see their vision of the state of the country and of politics - hobbled by centrist very serious Washington unreality - as being inextricable from that metagame of winning vs. losing and constitutional struggle à l'outrance vs. not. But it's a sort of thought experiment that requires them to be slightly immoral and dumb, so I dunno.
Sure I've worked on a failing project before. But I'm a pro, and experienced, and if, say, one of my supplier is being less than honest with me, playing games, has no intention of actually delivering on his promise (because he's failed over and over and because he's lied to me over and over) I expect that behavior to continue, and I plan for contingencies. If I am dealing with marketing people who have promised and not delivered over and over and over again, I'm prepared and planning for them to not deliver again, and not surprised when it happens. For Reid to be surprised that the Republicans, who have held the country hostage over and over again and refused to compromise on anything and used every tool at their disposal to hinder anything Obama wants to do, would continue their obstructionist policies is ridiculous. He had to know full well - certainly even more that we did - that they would continue.
