Political Coexistence

I read José R. Colín's book ¿Hacia Dónde Vamos?, Where are we Heading?, you can have it for 8,13 €.

There is a jewel there:

``En política es como en álgebra: la suma de un término positivo y uno negativo da siempre un nuevo término: negativo.''
...

``Comonfort, apaciguador y conciliador, sufrió la equivocación de muchos otros políticos de todos los tiempos: creer en la posibilidad de fusionar los partidos. Las tendencias políticas son irreductibles. La suma de conservadores y progresistas siempre da ventaja a los conservadores, porque tiende a la inacción, y ésta es el campo de los conservadores: inacción es inmovilidad. El progreso es movimiento, hacia adelante.''

My translation:

In politics like in algebra, the sum of a positive term and a negative one gives a new negative term.
...

Comonfort, a peace maker, suffered the error of many other politicians of all times: to believe in the possibility of fusion with other parties. Political tendencies are irreducible. The sum of conservatives and progressives always gives an advantage to the former, because it tends to inaction and that is the conservative field: inaction is immobility. Progress is movement, going forward.

I find the same idea in Paul Krugman this week:

``So if the elections go as expected next week, here’s my advice: Be afraid. Be very afraid.''

He has been saying the same as Mr. Colín sixty years ago, Obama cannot appease the Tea Party, more likely, if given the chance, that party, will walk all over him.

Barack, you were warned.