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.
