I'm Amazed They Are Amazed
Folks on the Left seem amazed that Obama could not muster a single Republican vote for his climate bill. I am amazed they are amazed. When you set traps lined with feces-smeared pungi sticks for opposition legislators, it may be momentarily fun for the Progressive base, but it does not make the opposition very happy to work with you.
Which is fine with me -- I don't think I can get too worked up about the Coke and the Pepsi party beating the crap out of each other. But this administration does not seem to be able to make up its mind how it wants to govern. With the Presidency, control of both Houses, and (originally) 60 votes in the Senate, a scorched Earth approach was probably viable. I have no doubt Gingrich would have taken that approach had he had such numbers.
What confuses me, and I think a lot of the Progrossives rooting for a new October Revolution, is Obama has communicated publicly in scorched Earth mode but has not really legislated that way. Time after time the Democrats keep seeking out Republican votes to give them cover for legislation that might be unpopular, but Obama's Chicago-style demonizing does not seem to help that much. I am not much of a political observer, so their may be a sensible strategy in all this but I don't see it.
TC:
2010 simple.... Re- Elect NO-One!
Every one o f these idiots aint even gonna get the message at this round, we the people need to do the same every gotdaaumed time an election comes around! Throw the bastards out of their confy govt office and keep throwing them outtill they actually don something the citizens approve of!
From local to national! Re-Elect NO One! EVER!!!!!
See we actually have term limitations, but way too many citizens are afraid to use the tool we have to enforce them. These assholes work for US, the people that elect them, not the federal govt, they work for the states, they should also be paid entirely by the state that elected them!
I don't care what graft they accept while in office, but 80% should be sent to the state that put them into a position of collecting such. Else ban 100% of all lobbying! That alone would save billions of dollars a year for all of us.
July 23, 2010, 11:15 amKeith Hogan:
"Time after time the Democrats keep seeking out Republican votes to give them cover for legislation that might be unpopular, but Obama’s Chicago-style demonizing does not seem to help that much."
There could be another reason why Democrats have problems getting Republicans to vote for their ridiculous legislation. Maybe, just maybe, there actually is a difference between the Republican and Democratic parties.
July 23, 2010, 2:20 pmNot Sure:
"Maybe, just maybe, there actually is a difference between the Republican and Democratic parties."
Well, of course there is.
The two parties disagree about the areas in peoples' private lives into which the government should be intruding with their rules and regulations.
July 23, 2010, 5:03 pmskh.pcola:
"Obama has communicated publicly in scorched Earth mode but has not really legislated that way"
The executive branch might sign or veto legislation, but the executive branch--constitutionally--doesn't "legislate." Ozero might be surprised to learn that stark fact, but our Constitution is merely a hindrance to his divine mandate to lead us into Marxist utopia.
July 23, 2010, 5:47 pmMark:
Never underestimate Olympia. Or Susan. Or Lindsay. Need I go on?
July 23, 2010, 6:07 pmTed Rado:
One endearing thing about the Obama administration is their passion for crucifying everyone: GM, Toyota, banks, insurance companies, oil companies, George Bush, etc. Their motto should be "Bring joy to the world. Demonize someone today". They are surely going to be remembered for antagonizing everyone with their "hang everyone, worry about the facts later" approach to every problem. And they expect love and cooperation?
July 24, 2010, 10:26 amfrankania:
TC, the problem with outlawing "lobbying" is the definition of it. When you call your senator and urge him to vote a certain way, or meet your city rep. at a picnic etc. and suggest ideas to her, you are LOBBYING.
I realize you mean the PAID people who do more than discuss issues, the ones that steer campaign money, exotic trips, and other goodies to politicians.
All lobbying aside, it comes down to what you say about not re-electing anyone; (unless they are REAL libertarians, of course)
July 24, 2010, 11:12 amJoseph Hertzlinger:
I suspect that one reason leftists try to get some conservatives on board one of their bandwagons is to be able to blame them when they run into trouble.
July 24, 2010, 7:14 pmPlungerman:
J. Hertz_et_al has it just right. The only defence Dems ever have for terrible legislation is to claim that it was Bi-Partisan.
Why none of them can ever stand up and say "That does not matter if the whole idea is totally wrong."
P
July 26, 2010, 2:46 pmtomw:
If the ideas are so great, why in Eff do they need any R's to go along with the plan???
July 26, 2010, 7:49 pmPhooey.
tom
bobby b:
You're making Obie's thuggism sound sort of cool-kiddish and ultimately of little lasting effect, but remember that he's been treating the leaders of the other nations of the world in exactly this same manner.
In spite of what the left was bellowing prior to the election, Bush left us with a ton of goodwill throughout the world, in places in which we specifically want and need such goodwill.
Obie has now squandered most of that, and in fact has taken us into negatives in many of those places. He's casually derided and ridiculed and embarrassed world leaders far more valuable than himself, he's done things to other countries and leaders that have seemed just . . . stupid and unthinking and parochial, and he's shown himself to be a buffoon on the world negotiating stage. He's tried to buddy up with the international venal-and-scaly set, but even that group won't be his friends - Putin thinks he's a dork, Chavez would still cut his heart out and eat it, Ahmadinejad talks about him (once he gets back to Iran) as if he's obviously feeble-minded, and even Calderon sees him, I think, as an easy touch.
Annoy and insult U.S. politicians, and you jeopardize your agenda and chances for re-election. Do the same to mullahs and fanatics with armies and ex-KGB killers, and you jeopardize ME. This is unacceptable.
July 26, 2010, 9:49 pm