Divided We Fall

[Wiseacre]

The other day (March 1) Senator Olympia Snowe wrote a piece in the WaPo detailing why she's quiting. Sounds a lot like what Evan Bayh said a couple of years ago. Putting aside whatever you might think of either person, the issue of the Senate's total inability to cooperate with each other is badly damaging the country.

Quite frankly, I don't know if it'll make much difference who wins the WH or who wins the Senate majority this November. I don't see either party winning 60 seats, so it's going to come down to bipartisanship if anything significant is to be done. And we got some significant things that need doing.

I think Obama's partisan politics and rhetoric make him unable or maybe even unwilling to actually cooperate and compromise. If he's elected, I don't see him accepting anything less than his way on everything important. The same for Harry Reid, if a repub wins the WH but the Dems keep their majority in the Senate. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe that's unfair, but these guys appear to be soley interested in party politics above what's really best for the country.

And I can't say the GOP would be any different if they get in. Even if they did win the WH and both Houses of Congress, they're not going to have a filibuster proof Senate, and that means working together with the Dems. In my view, the Dems had their shot and blew it; it's time to give the repubs their chance, with the understanding that we need to see some action on the things that matter most.


snippet:

One difficulty in making the Senate work the way it was intended is that America’s electorate is increasingly divided into red and blue states, with lawmakers representing just one color or the other. Before the 1994 election, 34 senators came from states that voted for a presidential nominee of the opposing party. That number has dropped to just 25 senators in 2012. The result is that there is no practical incentive for 75 percent of the senators to work across party lines.

The great challenge is to create a system that gives our elected officials reasons to look past their differences and find common ground if their initial party positions fail to garner sufficient support. In a politically diverse nation, only by finding that common ground can we achieve results for the common good. That is not happening today and, frankly, I do not see it happening in the near future.

Olympia Snowe: Why I’m leaving the Senate - The Washington Post

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

The other day (March 1) Senator Olympia Snowe wrote a piece in the WaPo detailing why she's quiting. Sounds a lot like what Evan Bayh said a couple of years ago. Putting aside whatever you might think of either person, the issue of the Senate's total inability to cooperate with each other is badly damaging the country.

Quite frankly, I don't know if it'll make much difference who wins the WH or who wins the Senate majority this November. I don't see either party winning 60 seats, so it's going to come down to bipartisanship if anything significant is to be done. And we got some significant things that need doing.

Something significant being done is exactly what many are opposed to, and wish to maintain the stalemate.

I think Obama's partisan politics and rhetoric make him unable or maybe even unwilling to actually cooperate and compromise. If he's elected, I don't see him accepting anything less than his way on everything important. The same for Harry Reid if a repub wins the WH but the Dems keep their majority in the Senate. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe that's unfair, but these guys are soley interested in party politics above what's really best for the country.

Boehner and McConnell have equally engaged in partisan politics and rhetoric making both unwilling to actually cooperate and compromise; indeed, McConnell made clear the Senate Minority’s one goal was to ‘get rid of Obama.’ To blame only Obama and Reid for ‘playing politics’ is blind and partisan on your part.

And I can't say the GOP would be any different if they get it. Even if they did win the WH and both Houses of Congress, they're not going to have a filibuster proof Senate, and that means working together with the Dems. In my view, the Dems had their shot and blew it; it's time to give the repubs their chance, with the understanding that we need to see some action on the things that matter most.

Give the GOP a chance to do what, exactly?

They had their chance between 2001 and 2007, resulting in two failed, illegal wars, a deficit, and bigger government.

Some might go so far as to say GOP policies resulted in the December 2007 recession; I won’t make that claim but it’s certainly damning evidence.

If this was supposed to be a ‘plague on both houses’ thread, it’s a major fail.

 

[occupied]

Compromise is a dirty word to most of the right who actually destroy their own for engaging in such treason to the ideology and you are going to complain that democrats refuse to cooperate? Knuckle under to threats and cave-in to pressure you mean? Democrats have compromised on plenty, they are just not going to assist republicans in their mission to dump the poor and the old any further, republicans are going to have to finish that one by themselves.

 

[The Infidel]

Compromise is a dirty word to most of the right who actually destroy their own for engaging in such treason to the ideology and you are going to complain that democrats refuse to cooperate? Knuckle under to threats and cave-in to pressure you mean? Democrats have compromised on plenty, they are just not going to assist republicans in their mission to dump the poor and the old any further, republicans are going to have to finish that one by themselves.

Oh bullshit.... Democrats NEVER compromise.

Its always the right that has to 'compromise'.


Your last sentence is just a bit more evidence that you are a hack.

 

[Dragon]

Funny how even a relatively sane and rational Republican like Wiseacre sees Obama as a hard-line, inflexible partisan, while to us on the left he comes across as a totally unsatisfactory limp noodle without a vertebra to his name.

Clearly, Snowe's reasoning doesn't apply to the president (regardless of party) since he is elected by all of the states.

 

[California Girl]

Funny how even a relatively sane and rational Republican like Wiseacre sees Obama as a hard-line, inflexible partisan, while to us on the left he comes across as a totally unsatisfactory limp noodle without a vertebra to his name.

Clearly, Snowe's reasoning doesn't apply to the president (regardless of party) since he is elected by all of the states.

What would you call a President who deliberately called conservatives 'the enemy'? There is no clearer 'partisan' than your messiah.

 

[The T]

Funny how even a relatively sane and rational Republican like Wiseacre sees Obama as a hard-line, inflexible partisan, while to us on the left he comes across as a totally unsatisfactory limp noodle without a vertebra to his name.

Clearly, Snowe's reasoning doesn't apply to the president (regardless of party) since he is elected by all of the states.

What would you call a President who deliberately called conservatives 'the enemy'? There is no clearer 'partisan' than your messiah.

Or calling working in the private sector as being "Behind enemy lines..."?

 

[California Girl]

Funny how even a relatively sane and rational Republican like Wiseacre sees Obama as a hard-line, inflexible partisan, while to us on the left he comes across as a totally unsatisfactory limp noodle without a vertebra to his name.

Clearly, Snowe's reasoning doesn't apply to the president (regardless of party) since he is elected by all of the states.

What would you call a President who deliberately called conservatives 'the enemy'? There is no clearer 'partisan' than your messiah.

Or calling working in the private sector as being "Behind enemy lines..."?

Yep. I find this President, and his cohorts, to be the most partisan, most hatefilled, most rabidly left wing bunch we have ever had the misfortune to elect. Scum... the whole bunch.

 

[peach174]

Well, you can't pass a Health Care Bill, in the middle of the night, against the majority of the nation, with little or no input of the other side and expect lines not to be draw-en.
This is when the war of ideologies between the two sides really started and has become so heavy handed.

 

[The T]

Well, you can't pass a Health Care Bill, in the middle of the night, against the majority of the nation, with little or no input of the other side and expect lines not to be draw-en.
This is when the war of ideologies between the two sides really started and has become so heavy handed.

And pass it while knowing over half the country (much larger now) was against it...but the backroom deals flowed to make it happen none the less.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Well, you can't pass a Health Care Bill, in the middle of the night, against the majority of the nation, with little or no input of the other side and expect lines not to be draw-en.
This is when the war of ideologies between the two sides really started and has become so heavy handed.

+1

Well said.

 

[The T]

What would you call a President who deliberately called conservatives 'the enemy'? There is no clearer 'partisan' than your messiah.

Or calling working in the private sector as being "Behind enemy lines..."?

Yep. I find this President, and his cohorts, to be the most partisan, most hatefilled, most rabidly left wing bunch we have ever had the misfortune to elect. Scum... the whole bunch.

The entire District of Criminals needs an enema to make up for the 'Draining of the swamp' that never happened under pelosi's watch...

 

[The T]

Funny how even a relatively sane and rational Republican like Wiseacre sees Obama as a hard-line, inflexible partisan, while to us on the left he comes across as a totally unsatisfactory limp noodle without a vertebra to his name.

Clearly, Snowe's reasoning doesn't apply to the president (regardless of party) since he is elected by all of the states.

Snowe? Good riddence to bad rubbish. Doesn't matter if she's there or not.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Compromise is a dirty word to most of the right who actually destroy their own for engaging in such treason to the ideology and you are going to complain that democrats refuse to cooperate? Knuckle under to threats and cave-in to pressure you mean? Democrats have compromised on plenty, they are just not going to assist republicans in their mission to dump the poor and the old any further, republicans are going to have to finish that one by themselves.

Oh bullshit.... Democrats NEVER compromise.

Its always the right that has to 'compromise'.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpOUctySD68]No You Can't (Featuring John Boehner) - YouTube[/ame]​

 

[Katzndogz]

Of course the nation is going to fall. It can't be any other way. Suggesting that republicans give in to what the democrats want is as ridiculous as suggesting that the democrats give up their socialist predations.

 

[Full-Auto]

Compromise is a dirty word to most of the right who actually destroy their own for engaging in such treason to the ideology and you are going to complain that democrats refuse to cooperate? Knuckle under to threats and cave-in to pressure you mean? Democrats have compromised on plenty, they are just not going to assist republicans in their mission to dump the poor and the old any further, republicans are going to have to finish that one by themselves.

You always sound off as an idiot.


Reminder grid lock is a system design when not in agreement.

 

[The T]

Compromise is a dirty word to most of the right who actually destroy their own for engaging in such treason to the ideology and you are going to complain that democrats refuse to cooperate? Knuckle under to threats and cave-in to pressure you mean? Democrats have compromised on plenty, they are just not going to assist republicans in their mission to dump the poor and the old any further, republicans are going to have to finish that one by themselves.

You always sound off as an idiot.


Reminder grid lock is a system design when not in agreement.

Indeed it is. The Founders made it difficult to pass legislation precisely to make us think about things...and even harder to alter the Constitution.

But the Statatists have seen fit to use legislation to circumvent the Constitution and that process...

Obama even has admitted that HE isn't waiting for the Congress...

 

[Dragon]

Funny how even a relatively sane and rational Republican like Wiseacre sees Obama as a hard-line, inflexible partisan, while to us on the left he comes across as a totally unsatisfactory limp noodle without a vertebra to his name.

Clearly, Snowe's reasoning doesn't apply to the president (regardless of party) since he is elected by all of the states.

What would you call a President who deliberately called conservatives 'the enemy'? There is no clearer 'partisan' than your messiah.

I don't have a "messiah," and if I did he certainly wouldn't be Obama, and I don't recall him calling conservatives "the enemy," and would appreciate a link or citation of him doing so. In context, please.

 

[Dragon]

Well, you can't pass a Health Care Bill, in the middle of the night, against the majority of the nation, with little or no input of the other side and expect lines not to be draw-en.

Horseshit. On so many levels.

One, the bill was "against the majority of the nation" only when you combine those who were against any comprehensive health care reform with those who thought the bill wasn't nearly liberal enough.

Two, the only reason there was little or no input from the other side is because the other side refused to offer any beyond "kill the bill."

Three, in spite of the fact that Democrats passed the bill by themselves, it is still from start to finish a Republican bill, lacking every feature that progressives might have preferred (e.g. a public option), and the only reason Republicans opposed it is because they would politically committed to oppose anything and everything.

 

[occupied]

Compromise is a dirty word to most of the right who actually destroy their own for engaging in such treason to the ideology and you are going to complain that democrats refuse to cooperate? Knuckle under to threats and cave-in to pressure you mean? Democrats have compromised on plenty, they are just not going to assist republicans in their mission to dump the poor and the old any further, republicans are going to have to finish that one by themselves.

You always sound off as an idiot.


Reminder grid lock is a system design when not in agreement.

What do you call it when republicans are attacking their own ideas as socialist takeovers just because a democrat happened to introduce it? This ideologically based total opposition is not in any way beneficial to our country and will eventually end the GOP. If their ideology prevents them from acting in even the most clear cut circumstances then they are a useless waste.