I suggest you read _all_ the federalist papers ;)
that is how a legislator must operate
Leadership in a legislative body is very different
You are never your own man
Seem like excuses to me. While I will agree that concessions are the bilateral essence of negotiation, the necessary counterpart of concession is gain... there has to be something worth trading for such concessions. The reason for concessions cannot reasonably be “that is how a legislator must operate”, “Leadership in a legislative body is very different”, and “You are never your own man”.
just sayin’
This is why it is hard for a party legislative leader to run for executive office. The jobs are so different. Paul Ryan, as a comittee chairman is better situated than Cantor, for instance. But even he is going to have to explain some of his votes, because he does have to “take one for the team, from time to time, or he won’t be chairman for long. Ron Paul and Michelle Bachman each choose to play the lone wolf and you can get by with it so long as your constituents choose to send you back. But if legislating is your thing, you can’t do it alone. One thing you do learn to do as a leader is how to manage men. Abraham Lincoln began to acquire the skills he showed as President as a leader of the Whigs in the Illinois legislator. He and his party also bankrupted the state, but that’s another story.