An Asymmetry of Outrage

Joe Bodell — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 10:21:41 -0600

It's not just a cottage industry anymore — being outraged at something, all the time, has become a way of life for many of us political junkies and professionals.

The logic behind it isn't that hard to discern — if you can get a group of people angry at something those people are doing, it will be far easier to get them to write a check, make some phone calls, or knock on some doors for you and your side. But as I discovered in a recent interview with Nate Garvis of the Citizens' League, this "outrage industry" in and around politics is ultimately a destructive one — it will get some people involved for a while, but ultimately it's only going to turn massive numbers of people off to the political process.

Some may think that's a good thing; I disagree.

I also disagree that it's one side that engages in this encouragement of outrage. The DFL and Republican parties both express incredulity on a regular basis as they demand that the other side submits to their political will. Which, of course, will never happen, and the cycle continues.

In 2007, however, there's an important difference between the things over which the two parties are expressing their eternal outrage. While the Republican legislative leadership in Minnesota waxes rhetoric about not being allowed input on DFL-sponsored bills, the DFL is complaining — rightfully so, I think — about the GOP obstructing an agenda that was pretty clearly endorsed by the electorate last year.

In Congress, Republicans have built years of experience expressing outrage on a litany of topics, including the same "Democrats won't let us have input" whine. On the other hand, Democrats have been outraged at President Bush's conduct of a war, predicated on a lie, that has cost us thousands of American lives and billions upon billions of dollars.

And even in the blogosphere, partisans get outraged with one another — shocking, isn't it? Left-leaning bloggers are outraged at the maneuvers Republican lawmakers engage in to thwart the Democratic majorities, and at President Bush for any number of bungles, screw-ups, mishaps, or demonstrations of gross incompetance. On the other side, righty bloggers rev up their spin machine over minor legislation, Congressional websites not being set up immediately, a popularly-elected Secretary of State's every word, and are aghast that left-leaning bloggers might use a naughty word from time to time. And are fat.

I would demonstrate that I am indeed not joking about these things, but for the fact that I am loathe to link to these travesties. I'm not going to say I'm not a little outraged — that is, after all, part of what we in the political game today do. I can honestly say I'm doing my best to take things in stride and save true outrage for when it's deserved. But it does seem like there's an asymmetry today in the things that cause us outrage, doesn't it? One side worried about a waste of lives and American prestige, the other worried about freedom to poop and fat potty-mouthed liberals.

Interesting.

It's not just a cottage industry anymore — being outraged at something, all the time, has become a way of life for many of us political junkies and professionals.