Is it gridlock, or is it political cowardice?

[Wiseacre]

Gridlock to me is when both parties share political power but cannot agree to each other's solutions for any number of reasons. I understand there will be differences of opinions, but what I do not understand is the failure on both sides to offfer up ideas or any attempt to bridge the gap. The democrats seem to have been more successful at portraying the republicans as obstructionist, when in fact they themselves have been no less unwilling to cooperate or compromise for fear of losing support for their political base. As have the GOP, particularly since the rise of the Tea Parties. Example:

It would appear to me that the fixes for Social Security are the easiest to fix, and yet no one from either party seems willing to talk about it. It'll take a bipartisan effort so neither party can blame the other for whatever is done; to me that's more than gridlock, it's cowardice. The solutions are not that complex: a little bit higher retirement age, a little bit higher ceiling on the taxable amount for SS, some kind of means test to prevent the wealthy from getting a check they don't need. Whatever, it needs to be done and everyone knows it. Bottom line, our elected reps were sent to do a job and they ain't doing it. They're more concerned with keeping their job than doing it, and we oughta hold accountable for that. Unfortunately, that isn't happening in too many places.

So - we have gridlock, but also a lack of political courage. Lacking similar grass roots support like the TPers, the democrats won't even offer a realistic budget or plans that seriously address the fiscal problems we face. They know the problems exist, everyone knows, and yet all they seem to do is demagogue whatever the repubs pass in the House. What they're doing may be good politics, but's bad leadership, and at a time when we need it. And Obama is nothloing in this regard; I thought he was supposed to change the way DC does business. And maybe he did, but not for the better. He hs not been the uniter I hoped for.

 

[Katzndogz]

The 2010 election sent people to congress to stop democrats not agree with them. Gridlock is preferable to what they were doing.

 

[Black_Label]

The democrats have been doing nothing but reaching the olive branch across the isle since day one. The GOP and especially the teabagger thugs are deliberately trying to destroy the nation in a childish attempt to make Obama look bad. Not to mention in their eyes "compromise" means giving them everything they want.
Because of the GOP/teabaggers thuggery and childishness, they have tanked congress's approval to 11%, the lowest in the history of the nation.

 

[California Girl]

Gridlock to me is when both parties share political power but cannot agree to each other's solutions for any number of reasons. I understand there will be differences of opinions, but what I do not understand is the failure on both sides to offfer up ideas or any attempt to bridge the gap. The democrats seem to have been more successful at portraying the republicans as obstructionist, when in fact they themselves have been no less unwilling to cooperate or compromise for fear of losing support for their political base. As have the GOP, particularly since the rise of the Tea Parties. Example:

It would appear to me that the fixes for Social Security are the easiest to fix, and yet no one from either party seems willing to talk about it. It'll take a bipartisan effort so neither party can blame the other for whatever is done; to me that's more than gridlock, it's cowardice. The solutions are not that complex: a little bit higher retirement age, a little bit higher ceiling on the taxable amount for SS, some kind of means test to prevent the wealthy from getting a check they don't need. Whatever, it needs to be done and everyone knows it. Bottom line, our elected reps were sent to do a job and they ain't doing it. They're more concerned with keeping their job than doing it, and we oughta hold accountable for that. Unfortunately, that isn't happening in too many places.

So - we have gridlock, but also a lack of political courage. Lacking similar grass roots support like the TPers, the democrats won't even offer a realistic budget or plans that seriously address the fiscal problems we face. They know the problems exist, everyone knows, and yet all they seem to do is demagogue whatever the repubs pass in the House. What they're doing may be good politics, but's bad leadership, and at a time when we need it. And Obama is nothloing in this regard; I thought he was supposed to change the way DC does business. And maybe he did, but not for the better. He hs not been the uniter I hoped for.

We have a coward in the White House. He needs to go.

 

[California Girl]

The democrats have been doing nothing but reaching the olive branch across the isle since day one. The GOP and especially the teabagger thugs are deliberately trying to destroy the nation in a childish attempt to make Obama look bad. Not to mention in their eyes "compromise" means giving them everything they want.
Because of the GOP/teabaggers thuggery and childishness, they have tanked congress's approval to 11%, the lowest in the history of the nation.

Hitting your opposition with that 'olive branch' is not 'reaching'. Moron.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The democrats have been doing nothing but reaching the olive branch across the isle since day one. The GOP and especially the teabagger thugs are deliberately trying to destroy the nation in a childish attempt to make Obama look bad. Not to mention in their eyes "compromise" means giving them everything they want.
Because of the GOP/teabaggers thuggery and childishness, they have tanked congress's approval to 11%, the lowest in the history of the nation.

Damn, that was funny. You definitely have a career in comedy.
















Wait, someone just told me you were being serious. That makes it pathetic.

 

[Black_Label]

The democrats have been doing nothing but reaching the olive branch across the isle since day one. The GOP and especially the teabagger thugs are deliberately trying to destroy the nation in a childish attempt to make Obama look bad. Not to mention in their eyes "compromise" means giving them everything they want.
Because of the GOP/teabaggers thuggery and childishness, they have tanked congress's approval to 11%, the lowest in the history of the nation.

Damn, that was funny. You definitely have a career in comedy.
















Wait, someone just told me you were being serious. That makes it pathetic.

I know you radical right wing trash hate the truth. It always brings those with sanity hours of laughs

 

[auditor0007]

Gridlock to me is when both parties share political power but cannot agree to each other's solutions for any number of reasons. I understand there will be differences of opinions, but what I do not understand is the failure on both sides to offfer up ideas or any attempt to bridge the gap. The democrats seem to have been more successful at portraying the republicans as obstructionist, when in fact they themselves have been no less unwilling to cooperate or compromise for fear of losing support for their political base. As have the GOP, particularly since the rise of the Tea Parties. Example:

It would appear to me that the fixes for Social Security are the easiest to fix, and yet no one from either party seems willing to talk about it. It'll take a bipartisan effort so neither party can blame the other for whatever is done; to me that's more than gridlock, it's cowardice. The solutions are not that complex: a little bit higher retirement age, a little bit higher ceiling on the taxable amount for SS, some kind of means test to prevent the wealthy from getting a check they don't need. Whatever, it needs to be done and everyone knows it. Bottom line, our elected reps were sent to do a job and they ain't doing it. They're more concerned with keeping their job than doing it, and we oughta hold accountable for that. Unfortunately, that isn't happening in too many places.

So - we have gridlock, but also a lack of political courage. Lacking similar grass roots support like the TPers, the democrats won't even offer a realistic budget or plans that seriously address the fiscal problems we face. They know the problems exist, everyone knows, and yet all they seem to do is demagogue whatever the repubs pass in the House. What they're doing may be good politics, but's bad leadership, and at a time when we need it. And Obama is nothloing in this regard; I thought he was supposed to change the way DC does business. And maybe he did, but not for the better. He hs not been the uniter I hoped for.

We have become a country of procrastinators. Everyone knows something needs to be done about SS and Medicare, but nobody wants to make the first move, or if they do, they come up with really stupid ideas like Ryan's idea to go to a voucher system for Medicare. While I will give him credit for at least addressing the issue, his solution is no solution at all and would almost certainly end up biting retirees in the ass big time. In the end, the government would be forced to step right back in to pay for full Medicare. The basic answer is simple and everyone knows what it is, they just don't want to be the first to pull the trigger. We need to raise the retirement age, plain and simple. I can go into a long list of reasons why, but everyone already knows why despite the arguments against it.

 

[Mac1958]

.

It's political cowardice, a bunch of people who are afraid to lead.

Leadership would require someone from each party to tell their whacked out base to go fuck themselves, reach across the aisle, build consensus, and create/implement plans that take the best ideas from both parties without worrying about who is the political winner or loser.

Until this happens, we remain paralyzed and the ship continues to sink, while the narcissistic ideologues point the finger.

.

 

[auditor0007]

Gridlock to me is when both parties share political power but cannot agree to each other's solutions for any number of reasons. I understand there will be differences of opinions, but what I do not understand is the failure on both sides to offfer up ideas or any attempt to bridge the gap. The democrats seem to have been more successful at portraying the republicans as obstructionist, when in fact they themselves have been no less unwilling to cooperate or compromise for fear of losing support for their political base. As have the GOP, particularly since the rise of the Tea Parties. Example:

It would appear to me that the fixes for Social Security are the easiest to fix, and yet no one from either party seems willing to talk about it. It'll take a bipartisan effort so neither party can blame the other for whatever is done; to me that's more than gridlock, it's cowardice. The solutions are not that complex: a little bit higher retirement age, a little bit higher ceiling on the taxable amount for SS, some kind of means test to prevent the wealthy from getting a check they don't need. Whatever, it needs to be done and everyone knows it. Bottom line, our elected reps were sent to do a job and they ain't doing it. They're more concerned with keeping their job than doing it, and we oughta hold accountable for that. Unfortunately, that isn't happening in too many places.

So - we have gridlock, but also a lack of political courage. Lacking similar grass roots support like the TPers, the democrats won't even offer a realistic budget or plans that seriously address the fiscal problems we face. They know the problems exist, everyone knows, and yet all they seem to do is demagogue whatever the repubs pass in the House. What they're doing may be good politics, but's bad leadership, and at a time when we need it. And Obama is nothloing in this regard; I thought he was supposed to change the way DC does business. And maybe he did, but not for the better. He hs not been the uniter I hoped for.

We have a coward in the White House. He needs to go.

He's a coward because he doesn't say "yes, Mr. Boehnor, whatever you say." ? LMAO!!

 

[auditor0007]

.

It's political cowardice, a bunch of people who are afraid to lead.

Leadership would require someone from each party to tell their whacked out base to go fuck themselves, reach across the aisle, build consensus, and create/implement plans that take the best ideas from both parties without worrying about who is the political winner or loser.

Until this happens, we remain paralyzed and the ship continues to sink, while the narcissistic ideologues point the finger.

.

At this point I am convinced that if the Dems came up with a plan to balance the budget strictly with spending cuts, the Republicans would do everything possible to prevent it from passing.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

The democrats seem to have been more successful at portraying the republicans as obstructionist, when in fact they themselves have been no less unwilling to cooperate or compromise for fear of losing support for their political base.

What exactly have democrats refused to place on the table, as they have always been willing to negotiate with regard to SS and Medicare, their most sacred cows. The republican ‘offer’ to eliminate both is not negotiating in good faith.

Republicans, on the other hand, have absolutely, positively refused to even put increasing taxes on the table, when every credible economist across the political spectrum agrees increasing taxes must be part of any serious deficit reduction plan.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The democrats have been doing nothing but reaching the olive branch across the isle since day one. The GOP and especially the teabagger thugs are deliberately trying to destroy the nation in a childish attempt to make Obama look bad. Not to mention in their eyes "compromise" means giving them everything they want.
Because of the GOP/teabaggers thuggery and childishness, they have tanked congress's approval to 11%, the lowest in the history of the nation.

Damn, that was funny. You definitely have a career in comedy.
















Wait, someone just told me you were being serious. That makes it pathetic.

I know you radical right wing trash hate the truth. It always brings those with sanity hours of laughs

I love the truth. The truth is that the only time either side reaches across the aisle is when it screws over somebody. Why do you think the legislation authorizing the export-import bank sailed through Congress? Why did the farm bill, which had more pork than Jimmy Dean's sausage plant, passed? Then we have everyone's favorite subsidy, the Essential Air Service, so that rich people don't have to drive an hour to big city airports.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The democrats seem to have been more successful at portraying the republicans as obstructionist, when in fact they themselves have been no less unwilling to cooperate or compromise for fear of losing support for their political base.

What exactly have democrats refused to place on the table, as they have always been willing to negotiate with regard to SS and Medicare, their most sacred cows. The republican ‘offer’ to eliminate both is not negotiating in good faith.

Republicans, on the other hand, have absolutely, positively refused to even put increasing taxes on the table, when every credible economist across the political spectrum agrees increasing taxes must be part of any serious deficit reduction plan.

The Democrats plan for reforming Social Security is raising taxes on wealthy people to pay for more bridges.