The common wisdom, from Republicans and Democrats alike, is that Obama and Democrats need to move to the right and meet the Republicans in a new spirit of compromise. President Obama’s tone is highly conciliatory, suggesting that there are several areas in which Republicans and Democrats can find common ground. The common wisdom is wrong. To my great frustration, Obama still just doesn’t get it. As I was saying even before Obama won the Democratic nomination in 2007, Republican definition for compromise is total capitulation by the Democrats. Compromise with them is not possible. Obama and the Democrats need to move to the left and fight for progressive causes. With the Republicans firmly in control of the House, they will have little success. But, if they do fight, two years from now the American people will know who represents Main Street Americans and who governs exclusively for the benefit of criminal corporations and the richest one percent.
President Obama, professing himself humbled by what he described as a shellacking by voters in mid-term elections Tuesday, said yesterday he is prepared to work seriously with the new Republican leadership in the House — despite being on an apparent collision course with the GOP on health care and deficit reduction.
The president struck the conciliatory tone on the day after a historic election that amounted to a negative referendum on his first two years in office.
Republicans gained at least 60 House seats — easily recapturing the majority after four years of Democratic control — and, while falling short of gaining control of the Senate, picked up six seats there.
Ballot counting continued yesterday in close races in Alaska and Washington. Members of the all-Democrat Massachusetts delegation were among dozens of House members who will lose committee chairmanships and otherwise suffer a decline in power after four years of being in the majority.
Obama and GOP leaders — sensitive to voter frustration about partisan gridlock — tried to project a new resolve to join forces and work together. The president said he is ready to negotiate on bills to improve education and encourage alternative energy. He suggested he is open to compromise on extending Bush-era tax cuts, which are set to expire Jan. 1, while warning against brinksmanship.
Republicans said they, too, are ready to get down to business and work with the president. But they offered fewer specifics, vowing to seek deep, unspecified cuts in government spending and to follow through on campaign pledges to pass a repeal of the health care overhaul law — the signature initiative for Democrats and an area where Republicans found immediate disagreement with the president…
Inserted from <Boston Globe>
Some of the strongest evidence to support a Democratic move to the left is that only 4 in the Progressive Caucus, but 22 Blue Dogs went down.
Rachel Maddow agrees that bipartisanship is impossible.
Didn’t she illustrate that beautifully?
The only thing she didn’t say is that the laughter is coming from Republicans when they hear talk of compromise from Democrats.
8 Responses to “Bipartisanship?!!? Fat Chance!”
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The only thing I wanted to hear from the president yesterday was a a quote from George W Bush.
“Bring it on”
Pass the word along I will fight for him if he won’t fight for me. I have not run from a scuffle since I was 15 and if he compromises say good bye to your kids being covered until they are 26, preexisting congenital conditions, the one or two teeth given to Elizabeth Warren.
Historically during the run up to and during the Depression of ’29 until FDR came along this backing away is exactly what Hoover did with the Federal Reserve when he created it to oversee monetary policy and watch Wall Street. Look to American history and 1904 when TR broke up the trusts. It took 106 years but business has now wrestled control of the American economy back from the government. I suggest the first thing we do is press for legislation to defeat the Citizens United ruling by 2012 so at least I know who is lubing me and where the lube came from. My guess it is Chinese equivalent of lead laced Vaseline.
Isn’t it ironic that doing the 2008 campaign, I referred to Obama as a modern TR. OOPS!
Bi-partisianship my ass! 🙄
Not a good comparison. The former stinks. I’m guessing that the latter is a monument worthy of awe and worship. 😉
I have fought for you in 2008 and 2010 midterms with people screaming in my face when I try to tell them the truth. If you come out and get after it with them we will be behind you 100 percent with vigor. But to apologize to them for doing what is right for the American People and cave in to health care and give in to tax cuts for the top 2% is just NOT an option anymore.
Welcome, Cindy! 🙂
Well said, and you have clearly earned the right to he heard saying it.
After what Mitch McConnell said, I can’t imagine how Obama can still think compromise is possible. The only thing he will compromise is his integrity. He has to start standing up to these bozos and make sure that he stands for what he believes in and what his base believes in. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. He should realize by now there is no cooperation with these Republicans, they want nothing but to get him out of office.
My secret hope, Mimi, is that he’s playing it cagey. My secret fear is that he isn’t.