Why is Obama still pushing this "bipartisan" crap?

[Cyrano]

He knows Republicans will never even agree to his taking up space on this planet, or breathing air.

And we all know that they'll never agree to our taking up space or breathing air.

So, why the charade?

Why the "make believe" that they will "play nice?"

Why keep up a phony, failed game called "bipartisanship?"

I, for one, am totally clueless why he pursues this, the latest gambit being some kind of health care agreement.

He's not fooling us. He's not fooling them. Is it possible that the only one he's fooling is himself? I find that impossible to believe. He's way to smart for that.

So can anyone explain why he is still playing this game?

[mzmolly]

1. Shining a light on Republican obstruction?

The truth can't be denied once we're all aware.

[still_one]

3. Do you honestly believe that people don't already know that? /nt

[mzmolly]

16. Which people?

People HERE know this. The average citizen, I'm not so sure.

[theophilus]

28. I'm afraid the majority of Americans don't know many things. Our

media stinks at educating but they are pretty good at lying. Obama is trying a tactic that is fairly new. If his intention is of getting the Republicans to cooperate without changing then he will be disappointed, and so will I. If he intends for them to change or be marginalized then he might succeed. I'll enjoy that. We'll see.

[alfredo]

32. You got to do it over and over again before it sinks in with the public.

[Kablooie]

9. That's what I thought but he's not doing it. He just keeps inviting them to more tea parties.

Our government is set and determined to bring our country down into a third world horror.
Both Democrats, Republicans and even our president is contributing to this downfall.

[mzmolly]

14. We're laying the ground

work for exposing obstruction. :hi:

[Kablooie]

19. I hope so but when is he going to spring it? I'm not so sure anymore.

[mzmolly]

27. I'm guessing he'll make it apparent with the televised meetings etc. Later surrogates will

begin the official "republics are more interested in politics than helping Americans" meme, before the President makes it a large part of his dialog?

[MadBadger]

30. Did the Press Conference with House Repukes look like a tea party to you?

[Kablooie]

36. Kind of a contentious one, but yeah. Sticks and stones, ya know. Need a club.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. So the republicans can't hold a presser in front of the Capitol and whine

"He started it!"

[Kablooie]

20. But they will anyway and the public will believe them. Reality has no place in American politics.

[alfredo]

33. A jack hammer doesn't crush concrete on its first blow.

It is the repeated hammering that breaks up the concrete.

[Kablooie]

37. Let's hope that Obama can build a bigger jack hammer than the GOPppers.

They've got the largest ones so far up to now.

[alfredo]

40. the February 25th summit is another blow by the blade. The Reps have

said they will attend only if Obama does what they want.

Seems a tad unreasonable. What do you think?

He needs to push this and when they rebuff him he needs to go on TV, detail their tactics and tell them to either help out, or get out of the way. He needs to talk about how Sen Shelby is blackmailing the Dems and Obama into giving Airbus a $35 billion contract that has already been given to Boeing.

[Cary]

4. Why do think he doesn't know what he's doing?

He doesn't have a magic wand. He has to deal with political realities.

[fasttense]

5. He's not pretending. It's in President Obama's DNA to try

to be bipartisan. Read his books, it's clear in his writings. He really would like to do bipartisan. I just wonder when he is going to get tired of hitting his head against a wall.

[avaistheone1]

23. What you are describing is a behavioral flaw that weakens

Obama in dealing with the republicans. Obama is falling on his own petard.

To continue the same behavior which will yield the same unwelcome results is the definition of insanity.

[golddigger]

6. Another strategic chess move?

:shrug:

[Ganja Ninja]

7. I've given up asking why.

I don't care what his reasons are.

[BeyondGeography]

8. Because the government is stuck and we're falling behind as a country

So they either play along or, when they refuse, as most certainly will happen, Obama has the political capital to tell Democrats to deliver.

He knows what he's doing.

[DCBob]

10. Its like disciplining a misbehaving child.. you have to keep trying and trying..

and eventually you will get through. Obama is bound and determined to be the transformational President this country so desperately needs right now... even if it takes all 4 years of his Presidency.

[GinaMaria]

31. The only time you can change a man

is when he's a baby. You can't raise adults. To try to change another adult is a waste of time and resources. The only one Obama can change is Obama.

[DCBob]

34. Except they are acting like children..

I think they will come around eventually... at least some of them. They are not all evil idiots. I cannot believe they all are willing to let the country collapse for some cheap political gains.

[GinaMaria]

35. they may be acting childish but they are not children

It is up to each individual to change. You have a lot more faith in the other side than I do. They have never put country before party in any instance I can remember. I don't expect they will start now unless it is politically advantageous, but then that would still be putting party before country.

[polichick]

11. Who knows? He has shown the other side for what they are - wish he'd move on already. nt

[timeforpeace]

12. Get them to just one meeting on HCR and then blame them. It will work.

[TheKentuckian]

13. To try to drive his personal negatives down and an excuse to blow gigantic majorities

so DC can peaceably resume gridlock and doing jackappleshit, without complaints.

Controling the White House and Congress by such majorities makes it very difficult to avoid the people's business by simply pointing fingers and the bipartisanship scam allows the whole concept of majority rule to be thrown out because the pursuit of the "other side" trumps policy, ideals, democracy, and even the broad needs of the American people.

[xxqqqzme]

17. On the level you describe, it is a unqualified success!

[closeupready]

24. This is likely. Ever wonder why neither side claims to be "the opposition party"?

At least in the US? Um, because they're not. In the US, the two major parties are really two wings of the same party!

[Echo In Light]

15. "America has one political party with two right wings." Gore Vidal

[avaistheone1]

21. That is a brilliant quote and fitting for our time.

[quiet.american]

18. Maybe the way you're looking at it is not correct. That could be a possibility. nt

[Cha]

41. Yeah, just think ..the White House may

just have a long term strategy in mind that posters on the internet aren't privy to.ya:think:

[avaistheone1]

22. It guarantees gridlock and it is easier than upsetting the apple cart

versus taking audacious steps for change that will impact Americans lives in real ways.

[spanone]

25. i doubt they even show up....according to m$nbc....the thugs were 'cool' to his invite

F U C K

T H E M

[Marr]

26. It's cover for pushing corporate policy, that's all.

Unlike the Republicans, who are unabashedly for the wealthy, the Democratic Party has to do a bit of theater when pushing the Wall Street agenda.

The people who crack me up are the ones that say Obama is both a genius and somehow utterly naive. He knows the GOP won't compromise. He's counting on it.

[Individualist]

29. He's a New Democrat

[stillwaiting]

38. Because it allows an excuse for the ever rightward shift and implementation of policies...

Emphasis on ever-rightward...

[Skittles]

39. he really wants to be accepted by a club that will never accept him

[branders seine]

42. it's good cover for the real agenda...

preserving the status quo.