The DC cynic's corner

Joan Walsh calls Obama "our over-conciliatory Democratic president." Joel Achenbach echoes her tsk-tsk in a silly piece about the president's politics: "He still dreams of political conciliation, cooperation, bipartisanship, putting country ahead of party, all that good stuff. And the faithful ask: When’s he going to smack someone?" When did the art of compromise (the process that makes democracy work) and fidelity to the Framer's ideals get thrown in front of the train? I bet America didn't get the memo. This is cynicism run amok, though it mostly emanates from the chattering class and the politicians they love. But what does one do with cynics who, as Oscar Wilde said, know "the price of everything and the value of nothing?” I wish I had an answer -- and maybe a muzzle large enough to fit over a certain collection of snouts occasionally.