Pity the poor politician. Every day he is forced to walk a fine line between competing positions. Every day he is forced to “dance the dance.” Consider the following example.
You are the Honorable Senator from the hypothetical state called Boomwana. Your state is home to one of the nation’s most important defense contractors. Because of your success in securing lucrative contracts, thousands of factory workers enthusiastically support your ongoing reelection efforts. Senior corporate management and wealthy shareholders give generously to your campaign. All is good. Maybe not.
Boomwana is also a hotbed of social-justice agitators, human rights advocates, and peace activists. These folks are not only vocal but highly energized in the pursuit of their ideals.
Waging war is an anathema that is to be resisted at every turn, and they regularly protest outside the headquarters of your district’s defense plant.
All of this is, of course, manageable. Or is it?
What would happen if Vladimir Putin were to mass troops off the coast of Norway and threaten to invade? He has never hidden his ambition to expand Russian territory to include the rich North Sea oil fields. Putin is no dummy. He knows that Norway’s Ekofisk field supplies natural gas to Germany. Annexing that resource would insure Germany’s total dependence on Moscow. How would Washington react? How would you, the Honorable Senator from Boomwana react?
Of course, there would be Washington’s usual loud and meaningless howls of indignation. Photo ops of politicians standing in front of the Norwegian flag, glaring into the camera, and demanding that Putin be “held accountable.” Even worse, the social-justice citizens of Boomwana would mobilize. They would hold noisy demonstrations outside your house every night. They would disrupt the golf fundraiser planned for your benefit over the weekend.
What would you do? Hold fast to your beliefs? That certainly would not aid your re-election. Duck and weave, hoping that Putin’s aggression wouldfa move off the front pages. Not likely.
Poor politicians. Damned if they do. Damned if they don’t.