In politics,the game is always playing not to lose. That’s the reality. You know why? Because when you play to win and you lose, you have to wait 2, 4, 6 years to get another chance at it. So it’s a game of containment, small victories. Big reaches lead to defeat. Study your history. Big victories usually lead to squashing defeats soon after.
And when you play to not lose, you never win.
WWII wasn't about not losing, it was about winning over an intolerable enemy.
The Revolutionary War wasn't about not losing, it was all or nothing.
There are times when the stakes are too high to compromise. I think this is true now. As I said, I used to think as you do. But things are different now.
And yes, I do read history, thank you.