It's a compelling read. As I see it Weisberg effectively describes the intellectually untethered nature of the American polity today. However, analysis is missing. He points to a "historical, nationally characterological ambivalence about government." This, while possibly providing a background narrative grounding for the public's political behavior, doesn't explain the change. What large-scale, fundamental shift has occurred?

This is an entertaining opinion piece that lays our current crisis of governance squarely at the feet of the electorate. There is a partisan tilt, but in the end the piece skewers all politicians who pander to the public desire to have cake and eat it too. While it's well reasoned and well written, I doubt that those it targets will find it persuasive.

the writer lays out the increasing contradictory values and desires of us, the public, to explain why some real aspects of our democracy are failing

The article does a good job of describing the contradictions in 'public opinion'. What it doesn't do is go into how opinions are formed. It does cite some sources of the problem. However, it does not go into where people get their information - what media are prevalent, and how they present issues.

An opinion piece that's so depressingly insightful, nobody will want to read it, thus proving it's point. Oh well. But Mr Weisberg doesn't discuss whether this is new to US politics (except for post-WWII, it's actually the norm) and why it's happening now (eg., declining industrial base gutting the heartland, etc)

Great article! Balanced and informative.