What a difference a year makes

Just back from the nation's capital, where I was attending an academic conference. It was almost exactly a year ago that I was last there, to attend Obama's inauguration (see here and here). At that time I wrote

Today I watched the country inaugurate Barack Hussein Obama as our 44th president. After the extended campaign, the election hoopla, and the vigorous transition period, in some ways the event felt more like an end than a beginning. People who support Obama have made him the favored vessel of our hopes and promises for almost two years. But now we are going to have to leave the gratifying, at times self-righteous world of ideas and rhetoric and get down to the messy business of policymaking. It won't be fun over the next 4-8 years to put our ideals through the sausage-grinder of politics.

I thought it would be ugly, but at least I thought the sausage would get made. Now I'm increasingly of the view that this last year has witnessed what will be remembered in history as a breakdown in American politics. As you've no doubt read elsewhere, this is not only my view. But in DC I found it striking how this conventional wisdom has solidified so quickly.

The election of Obama has provoked the reactionary elements of the political spectrum into fervent opposition. At the same time, a sharp economic recession has undermined faith in government and the market alike. The result is an example of what has been called the paranoid style in American politics, a populist, reactionary movement that hates the government, but also hates the problems government is needed to solve. Catch 22. A few months ago I thought we would have real progress on health care, financial reform, and climate change this year. Now I'd be overjoyed to have moderate progress on just one of these.

The Republicans have tried to ride this sentiment by obstructing every initiative the Administration takes, regardless of its merits. The collegiality that made the Senate a functional deliberating body has been lost to partisanship, which means, with a 60-40 split, that every Senator has come to have a de facto veto over legislation. The situation might be better if the Democrats had a more competent leader than Harry Reid, but I doubt any individual could make a huge difference in what I see now as a broken legislative house. You know things are bad when a senior government official tells you she thinks a constitutional amendment is needed.

The United States is verging on the un-governable. If the economy recovers and the Administration learns how to stand up to the obstructionist minority party, I think we can still walk back from the brink. But if the November elections lead to a divided government--a strong possibility without a sharp drop in unemployment--then all the optimism and hope we were swimming in just a year ago is going to look like a sad, sad delusion.

Conferring

Another week, another conference. They love me.

And...relax

A soothing weekend of R+R

Governing, globally

In Berlin, doing this. Let me know if you'd like to be a minor prelate in the future Empire.

Brazil

This country of sun, sand, and samba has captured the imagination of our travelers.

We have learned many things, but mostly this: all the stereotypes, good and bad, are true. The people are beautiful and friendly. Getting from point A to point B is never simply a matter of distance, rate, time, and Euclidean geometry, but rather a crapshoot with a mischievous capricious god. One sees both a rising power claiming its place in the world and a sweltering tropical republic where it seems foolhardy to even contemplate the possibility of planning to perhaps, if one feels like it, have a go at accomplishing something--after just one more drink.

I won't try to recount all the tales of our adventures in Brazil. You'll have to be content with a few illustrative vignettes.

1) Rio is a city of stunning natural beauty, from the sparkling sea, to the lush, jungle-covered mountains, to the sculpted physiques of its inhabitants (though this last one may not be entirely natural). We explored these wonders from an excellent b+b in the bohemian barrio of Santa Teresa, under the watchful care of hosts Pedro and Ro and the long-suffering Maurizio.

2) Scuba diving was tried for the first time, and deemed awesome. It shall be repeated in a bigger, better fashion.

3. The Abrohlos archipelago is a tiny paradise in the middle of nowhere, populated only by some friendly goats, a range of frigate birds and boobies, and a small contingent of the Brazilian Navy.

A couple of boobies:

This deserted island chain is where we spent the last night of the first decade of the 21st century. Much to our delight, the Navy invited us to join them on the island for their celebrations. Morale was high.

Imagine our surprise, then to find NOT, as we had hoped, a raucous fiesta of fun-seeking Brazilian seamen, but rather what seemed to be a suburban barbecue full of elderly family members and small children. The beer (which we had brought) was nowhere to be found. To add insult to injury, the food was put off limits until midnight (as is the Brazilian custom) by which time the island's many cockroaches had had a chance to pick through the choicest morsels. Moral was low.

4) However, one can do worse than while away some days on a hippie beach in Bahia.

A wasted little time acquiring an impractically heavy and bulky collection of wooden trinkets, bits of reed woven together, and arte naif.

5) Salvador's mix of decaying grandeur and youthful dynamism is intoxicating.

Its real estate opportunities are similarly enticing, as are its other charms.

7. The prevalence of religiosity amongst the population allowed the travelers to get in touch with their spiritual sides

8. Rio is beautiful, but Sao Paolo is a city.

In fact, it is a such a cosmopolitan center that it boasts--according to A's Brazilian colleagues--the best Japanese food in the world (including in Japan) and the best Italian food in the world (including in Italy). Regarding this last point, I will contribute just one observation. At the municipal market, everyone was scarfing down what they called 'sandwhiches de mortadella'. These consisted of a hamburger bun, a large pile of chemically pink meat, and a good smothering of ketchup. The grandmothers of Bolonga would have been blinded by the sight.

In fact, food was pretty poor in general. A lot of money can be spent eating very mediocre food in Brazil. The major exception was Bahia, where 10 reais will buy you something filling, fresh, and fantastically spicy.

9. F wasted no time building contacts with local 3rd sector leaders.

Our weeks in Brazil allowed only a small, superficial scratch. Thankfully, there will be a next time.

Fun with sheep

Christmas with the family