"Do you remember when there was pretty genuine bipartisan support in this country for the idea of closing down the prison at Guantanamo? Do you remember that? A few years ago, everyone basically agreed that Guantanamo needed to be shut downBarack Obama was in favor of that, John McCain was in favor of that, George W. Bush was in favor of that.
And then theres something weird happened. Barack Obama became president, he adopted the idea. He actually tried to do it. He tried to take the steps to close Guantanamo. And Republicans balked. They turned against something they used to be for. They started talking about President Obama wanting to let terrorists loose in your neighborhood. Do you remember that?
Well, after that, the health reform battle came along. And again, Republicans started arguing against something that they used to be for. In the case of health reform, that something was their idea in the first placethe idea of an individual mandate so that people have to buy health insurance. Thats a Republican idea. That was the Republican
alternative to President Clintons health reform proposal in the 90s. It was the basis of Mitt Romneys health reform plan in Massachusetts. It was something that Republicans, like Chuck Grassley, said they supported as recently as last year.Then president Obama adopted the idea and Republicans started attacking it as unconstitutional. They turned against something they used to be for.
Then Congress started debating the idea of creating a bipartisan deficit commission and it looked like that was going to passuntil seven Republicans, who used to support that idea, changed their minds and backed out after President Obama said he wanted to adopt it. They turned against something they used to be for.
Same thing happened with PAYGO, the pay as you go budgeting rules for Congress. This was something Republicans had said they were for, but after President Obama adopted the idea and actually proposed it, Republicans turned against it. Theyre against something they used to be for.
Well, thats the back drop against which today President Obama came out and officially adopted yet another Republican idea. Offshore oil and gas drilling. As you probably recall, this is something that was not only a Republican idea, but a rather unimaginative Republican chant throughout the presidential election campaign in 2008 -- during the national convention, you might recall. Now that President Obama has come out in favor of that, what do you think the Republican response is? Naturally, the top Republican in the House, John Boehner, blasted the idea, saying, quote, The Obama administration continues to defy the will of the American people. John Boehner is saying that even though the presidents in favor of offshore drilling now, hes obviously not in favor of it enough.
The number three House Republican, Mike Pence, also blasted the decision today, saying, The presidents announcement today is a smokescreen. Unfortunately, this is yet another feeble attempt to gain votes for the presidents national energy tax bill that is languishing in the Senate.
So, in health reform, Democrats took stuff like single-payer off the table before the negotiations really even began. This time around on climate change, theyve given in on nuclear power, theyve given in on offshore drilling. Why start out making concessions in exchange for nothing from the other side"?
Wednesday, March 31st - Rachel Maddow show- msnbc.com
Rachel Maddow knows exactly what she's talking about. That's why the right hates her so much.
