Haven’t we see this movie before? The anti-hero makes an unacceptable take it or leave it proposition to the heroes. Being nice people they politely say No. The chorus aka the media chimes in declaring that No is not an answer. So the heroes say how about an idea that lets the voters decide if taxes should go up or should go down? True democracy at its finest where the people decide their own fate. But the anti-hero rejects this proposal and while the chorus declares him wonderful.
In the next scene the chorus declares our heroes to be inflexible, anti-democratic, not worthy of their paychecks somehow this pricks them enough to make them take the risk of bargaining with the anti-hero. Lets trade an election on taxes for pension reform? No. For spending limit reform? No. For environmental review reform? No For regulatory reform? No. After each rejection the chorus declares the anti-hero to be unbelievably flexible and our heroes to be terribly naive. How dare you make a pledge to your constituents and now refuse to ignore it!
After weeks of alternate romancing and threatening the anti-hero declares if you will not go along with my plan then I will just do it myself. I do not need you. Our heroes are astonished. If he does not need us then why he is wasting so much time romancing and threatening us? The Oracle in the field has the answer. Without our heroes support the election to increase taxes will fail. Even the Oracle suggests that it would probably fail anyway as the voters have a healthy and normal distrust of government announcements that the sky is falling. (Even I could run the No side campaign on this one)
Our heroes want to be pragmatic problem solvers but it is now apparent that the anti-hero does not share their understanding of the problem. Nor does it appear that the anti-hero has an endgame after the next temporary invasion of peoples’ wallets expires.
What the anti-hero wants is a big closing dance number where everyone is on stage together smiling and hugging. And the audience is so overtaken that they pull out their wallets and offer everyone on stage more money. Fade to funny bi-partisan outtakes.
What I see as the ending is the anti-hero sitting alone (even his dog is gone) in his corner office tearfully picking up the red phone and telling the Department of Finance to balance the budget with cuts only. Fade to black.
Well, maybe we have not seen the movie with this ending. One can only hope.