Traffic Jams and the Essence of Politics

There is a new political flap, this about a traffic jam in New Jersey apparently caused by malicious politicians trying to punish a local mayor for not supporting Christie. (This is admittedly poetic and abstract as it seems to be a punishment of people near the mayor's town rather than the mayor himself.) This tells us a number of things. One, the Democrats and the media think that Christie is a formidable opponent and want to get out early to undermine him. (It is 3 years until the next election--but they were similarly out early against Romney.) Two, politicians are incredibly petty. They are often protected from themselves because no thinking person can believe them capable of what they are accused of. Third, and most important, the powers-that-be underestimate the public; there is no way of focusing this kind of behaviour against one politician. Like campaigning against the safety record of a competitive airline, everyone is tarred with the reality.