Strength in Weakness Theory and the Mid-term elections of 2010

What they call mid-term election officially has ended. The prediction of big GOP gains in the House came true. The Senate may have a slight Democratic majority possibly a 53 to 47 and this may benefit President Obama, because it will make the GOP put up or shut up.
The reason I think this may benefit the President is this is a classic example of an idea by Frans de Waal in his book Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are. The idea, in Chapter 2 entitled Power, is a coalition theory called "strength is weakness". In "strength is weakness" the most powerful player is often the least attractive ally. Dr de Waals use the example of three chimps, Yereon, Nikki, and Luit in the Arnhem Zoo in Holland to illustrate his point. He tells the story of Luit who was the alpha male and how he was killed. Yereon, who was the alpha, was dethroned by Luit and after Yereon got over his loss, he skillfully aligned himself with Nikki because aligning himself with Luit had little or no benefits because Luit did not need his support. Luit eventually was double-teamed by Nikki (who became the new alpha male) and Yereon when they are all caged together one evening.

In one scenario the GOP House could be considered the powerful player. The president joining them adds little to their strength which in turns results in fewer benefits for him. However, if a coalition is formed by throwing weight behind a weaker player like the Democratic-lead Senate it gives one far more leverage and also translates into more prestige and benefits for him. Using the Paradoxical idea of weakness is strength; minor players can position themselves at an intersection that offers great advantage. The president could use the veto strategically to thwart any plan GOP lead house may have. The president as the weaker player could strengthen his position by playing the competing interest against each other and a strategic use of the veto would force the GOP to water down their plans because they don't have the votes to over-turn a veto, this may work if the Democrats would unite and not override a veto because it takes a two-third majority to override a veto.

I see another scenario of this "weakness is strength" coalition theory also being played by so-called Centrist Senators both Democratic ones like Manchin or Independents like Leiberman, uniting with moderate Republicans like Mark Kirk,Olympia Snow, etc.. They could be calling the shots because of the division in Congress (i.e. the conservative Republicans versus progressive Democrats). The GOP who have a majority is in a weaker position than these so-called moderate Senators because they need them to pass any sustainable legislation.
This also show evolutionary theory is such a powerful explanatory tool, we need to get the chip off our shoulder and wake up to the fact that we are Hairless Apes or Primates (i.e. we are not the central purpose of the universe). We evolved in communal societies like other primates, this is why we seek out coalitions and why we are gregarious. We diverged from a common ancestor with our Chimpanzee and Bonobos cousins six million years ago. We are not the only intelligent social primates on this planet as so eloquently illustrated by Frans de Waal in Our Inner Ape.

Think about it...

Black Socrates