The person who holds the power in a negotiation...

[rucky]

is the one more willing to walk away from the table.

How many negotiations have we failed in? Not just the dem leaders w/ the GOP, but the grassroots w/ our own dem leaders, because we failed to grasp this principle. Or we're just too scared to walk away from the table.

Do we have to push through crappy legislation no matter what? Why do we take things off the table, or water them down before we even propose them? If that's what you bring to committee, you have no place to go from there but down. You wouldn't buy a car that way: Name the price you think the dealer wants, then negotiate from there?

Do we have to vote for the Dem no matter what? We've presented our demands: Impeach. Out of Iraq. Universal healthcare. But our candidates have already watered down their plans - and this is the primary! The time where they speak to their base. They know we won't walk away from the table, so they begin with a more "pragmatic" plan, instead of what we think we should have. Then it's a vicious cycle where we start with no chance of anything except mediocracy - all because we're afraid of the word "NO".

You may think our Dems are just being "pragmatic". That's how the "game" is played. BULLSHIT! The way you play the game is by starting with what's right and best, take it to the table, and be willing to say NO.

[cgrindley]

1. There is no such thing as negotiation

one party always holds all of the power whereas the other party always holds none, and what we call the process of negotiation is simply an expression of recognition and capitulation to demands with a ceremonial exercise of minor largesse in return.

EG the owner of the factory can *always* close the factory down. there is nothing a union can do to force the owner to keep the factory open. when the owner provides a 1 dollar an hour raise, it is in exchange for the union recognizing its powerless nature.

[ThomWV]

2. That is simply not true

As a person who negotiated Government Contracts for over 20 years (I was a Contracting Officer with the Department of Energy) I have to tell you that 'power is always a fragmented thing with each side having advantage in some places and not in others and it is the trading of that 'power' by both sides that constitutes a negotiation.

[BootinUp]

3. Good answer n/t

[BootinUp]

4. more willing to walk

or less willing to sit down, either way it is often the case that this is because there are misconceptions about the advantages of negotiating with the other party for achieving mutual gain.