When is a Compromise not a Compromise?

As Daniel Mitchell from Cato notes, there is a lot to love and a lot to hate about the deal that was worked out to extend the current tax rates.  The quick rundown is, no one’s taxes are going up (Good), unless you’re dead (Bad) and its temporary nature will make it more of a depression protection as opposed to an economic boost (Ugly).

Of course, anything that the government does should be viewed as a mixture of good and bad.  Often times, the fact they are doing anything at all is a negative or at best a necessary evil.  The bad and ugly of the compromise have started to weigh on the minds of a lot of conservative pundits, and I think it is time for some perspective.

Keeping in mind that I am far from a champion of compromise, I think there is an overriding aspect of this deal that should be kept in mind: We kept the dollars out of the hands of the government.  This is much more than a philosophical or ideological victory.  It is a principled stand and should be applauded, not nitpicked.

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No Compromise.

I have grown weary of hearing the calls for bi-partisanship.  The calls for “reaching across the aisle” and “bucking your party.”  And yes, I’m even tired of that sacred word that hushes the most stubborn of partisans: Compromise.  Compromise in terms of leadership or lack thereof.  Compromise with ulterior motives and double-speak.  Compromise that hurts our country, indeed our world.

To some this is counter-intuitive and in stark contrast to the common wisdom put forth by much of the media.  But the truth is, moderation & compromise have a dark and sordid past when it comes to governing nations.  It gave us “The Great Society,” which ensured generations of poor on welfare and the end of the need for a father.  It gave us the “New Deal” & Medicare, which are quickly bankrupting our country.  It gave us the Munich Pact and the Gaza Strip.   It empowered North Korea to acquire nuclear weapons and is on a steady path to do the same with Iran.

Some would say it gave us the Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation, but that is only partially correct.  In order for the founders to compromise with one another they had first to establish that they were immovable in their stance against King George.  For him there would be no compromise.