I could see where Democrats would want Republican support if the electorate were more closely divided, but Democrats must not forget that Republicans are representing AT MOST 35% of voters on most issues, and Obama's 65% approval ratings are enormous cover for any wayward Dems to vote with him. It just doesn't make any sense for Democrats to make policy concessions just to win Republican votes.

Of course, if one Dem votes against it, Reps will call it a bipartisan defeat.

Well... yeah. And I think the Democrats have pretty much figured it out, hence the talk of using reconciliation. Whether Obama was naive, or he shrewdly didn't want to appear "uppity" (GOP word, not mine) by ignoring Republicans altogether, but he DID try to engage them. That didn't work. And now every time the GOP throws a hissy fit about not being worked with, he (and the Dems) can just shrug, point to previous obstructionism and say: "How can we negotiate with these idiots?" And then go get some work done.

If anything, it was good to get this out of the way early, show the nation how messed up the GOP is these days and thus legitimize any bypass tactic they're going to employ from now on. I'd say that was pretty smart politics.

so arlen specter is craven and has no principles...and switched for...

politics...

meanwhile...

the gop didn't want sebelius...and a filibuster during a health crisis..would have given them a principled platform to make their case..

but they let her go..

for politics...

lol...

All this is CERTAINLY good news for John McCain!

I wonder when the general Washington consensus that the country is center right is going to be re-examined. Probably not anytime soon. Too many media types are too heavily invested in the center right myth.

By the way, I was talking to a businessman who met with his local Republican congressman the other day. The Republican told him that the Administration refuses to work with Republicans at all. I wonder if Republicans are talking out of both sides of their mouths (one thing for the national press and another for the folks back home) or if the new Administration is really stiffing Republicans?

The Republicans behavior is almost a textbook case of groupthink.

* - They only listen to those are are part of their group, ignoring outside input.

* - They expel group members who disagree.

* - They are far more confident of their power and assets than the facts warrant, because of the constant reinforcement from other group members.

They seriously act as though they get all their news from Fox and the WSJ opinion pages.

From the desk of Evan Bayh:

Bipartisanship is essential as we move move with health care reform. My working group of moderate democrats has pledged to assist the republican members of the senate in achieving bipartisanship on this issue and we will do so by working to require 60 votes to pass any health care legislation.

It is in the best interests of the United States to assure that health care reform does not include a socialist/public option. I will work with republican senators to assure this.

Anyone who says that the reason for my position is that my wife is on the corporate board of Wellpoint (a major health insurance corporation) is just being scurrilous.

I wonder if Republicans are talking out of both sides of their mouths (one thing for the national press and another for the folks back home) or if the new Administration is really stiffing Republicans?

Depends on your definition of "stiffing".

From 2001-6 the Republicans definition of compromise was "give us what we want and we'll pin a bow on it" so I suspect now that they are having trouble adjusting. A compromise would be passing a stimulus bill with more tax cuts than Obama planned. But the Republicans were holding out for a stimulus bill that got rid of all taxes on the rich. No wonder they feel stiffed.

Why should Republicans not vote this way?

My GOP Representative is rolling in earmarks and my GOP governor is (a) threatening to secede but (b) spending unprecedented amounts of federal money on his cronies.

Red states uniformly get more federal money than they pay in taxes. The more they whine, the more money our Democratic Congress throws at them.

And, because the GOP does such a good job of representing rich people anywhere, the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia, blue states, ... anywhere, Democrats are paralyzed. We "Hold Harmless" and "Jes' Wanna He'p Ever'body", most of all Wall Street Pirates, K-Street Lobbyists, and Defense Contractors, oh, and especially wire-tappers.

Thanks, Steny, Heckava Job!

... the GOP sees Democrats as an enemy to be defeated ...

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the legacy of Reagan and Newt's GOP. Not that politicians have been lovey dovey throughout American history. Hell, far from it.

But at the end of the day, there have been times (most, in fact) where D and R sat down after work, maybe had a few drinks and cigars, and treated each other respect (more so in the Senate).

But the GOP decided at some point (I'm guessing after the Nixon embarrassment) that instead of treating Dems like coworkers, working to find solutions to common problems, they'd treat anyone who disagreed as adversaries to be destroyed.

Fealty was put above logic, the base ahead of policy, and winning elections ahead of actual governance.

So we get what we have now: A GOP that only shows interest in "bipartisanship" when they are out of power and the cameras are rolling. Otherwise, they take a scorched Earth policy to legislating.

Obama has made more than enough effort to work with them, and they've showed no interest in doing so. Not even a little.

So screw 'em. Do whatever is legal and ethical to get stuff past, and leave the GOP in the dust.

The Democrats really really need to give bipartisanship a chance. It is very very unhealthy for our government to operate as a 1-party state. Obama and the Dems need to extend the olive branch to Republicans. They simply aren't doing enough to foster meaningful dialogue and relations with the opposition party.

The moderate and liberal wings of the Democratic party are the two-parties in 2009. The Republicans are a collection of outlandish front groups bound together by gun ownership fears.
The 100% obstructionist voting record of the Third Party GOP is representative of a toxic brew of desperation to remain relevant, innate racism, and hatred for ideas that threaten their skewed sense of self-importance. Pathetic really.

This strikes me as terror within the ranks rather than collaboration. The beady-eyed bastards must have laid out threats of huge retribution for those thinking of leaving the reservation.

Pricks. None worthy of more than a spot of spit.

It doesn't matter how they vote. The republicans go home and take credit for things that pass---without thier vote. Seems like I've read several stories lately (on Cantor today!) about how different republicans led the way against this or that, but quickly go home and proclaim a win in the things they are bringing home to save the economy!

When will the circled wagons of the Republican party open up and greet other Americans with a smile and a handshake? I won't hold my breath, and until then I challenge all Congressional Republicans not to accept any federally funded projects in their district as a show of just how their districts don't need a federal government - oh, they are too cowardly to engage in such a real politic? Let's just wait and see!-Kevo

John Robert BEHRMAN "Red states uniformly get more federal money than they pay in taxes. The more they whine, the more money our Democratic Congress throws at them."

I can't put my finger on it now, but a few years back I saw a study that compared federal funding for counties that voted Democratic versus those that voted Republican. The gist of the findings were that when Democrats were in power, federal funding for Republican and Democratic counties was equal. In contrast--and yes, you know what is coming!--when Republicans were in power, Republican counties got significantly more federal funding than Democratic counties.

So yeah, the Republicans have nothing to lose. They get to have their cake and eat it, too.

Sparko got it right with "Third Party GOP"...

It's time for a Libertarian/Fiscal Conservative party...one for limited yet effective government--that keeps it's nose out of people's bedrooms. A party of ideas that can carry on a conversation...

here's hoping....

the president and some of his policies are significantly less popular with white Americans than with black Americans, and his sky-high ratings among African-Americans make some of his positions appear a bit more popular overall than they actually are.

We4ll, what it means is this member of the Unreconstructed Southern White People's Confederate Treason Party believes - as they always have - that it's only the opinions of white people that really matter.

Further proof of what 10 generations of Southern "inbreeding" will create.

Sorry, the above should be on the Byron York thread. Just shows what happens when you come in from a busy day raising $10K for the Democrats to whack the traitors with.