Despite expectations of radical change, the new administration will likely be similar to previous ones, particularly in foreign policy, due to the entrenched bureaucracy and the limited power of elected officials to effect substantial change. Americans don't fully appreciate the structural limitations of the presidency and therefore have unrealistic expectations of Trump's ability to bring about significant change.

Trump and Vance are not strong enough to replace Washington or even control it. They can do what any Republican administration does: bring in a different faction of staffers. This will change a few things that the government does in some ways. It will not involve any serious changes to the way government works or we live our lives.

Their lack of strength is not their fault. As democratic leaders, they have only the strength that the voters give them. The voters are not ready to trust them with full power over the government, which is the only way they could get anything done. They are not strong enough because we did not give them enough strength.

Worse, by refusing to see the difference between the dramatic narrative and the sordid reality, by investing emotional energy in the drama without any equivalent energy in wanting to make it real, or any anger that it is not real ... you give your leaders no choice.

They would love to lead us for real. First, we would have to follow them for real and we're not ready to do that. So ...