Dems Force GOP to Take a Stand

[babylonsister]

Eyeing midterms, Democrats to push Republicans to go on record against key bills

By Scott Wilson
Saturday, February 13, 2010


President Obama has reached out to Republicans in recent weeks, acknowledging that he needs bipartisan support to effectively govern the country. But the White House and congressional Democrats are also hedging their bets with a plan to make a campaign issue of what they say is Republican intransigence.

The emerging strategy seeks to take advantage of the partisan stalemate in Congress over Obama's nominees and major policy initiatives, and to turn the page on a year when the White House failed to secure passage of complicated health-care and energy legislation.

The idea is to make Republicans either vote for a series of more modest bills identified as popular with the public or explain to constituents this fall why they opposed them.

The decision by Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to offer a pared-down jobs-creation bill and dare the GOP to oppose it is the most visible sign of the plan so far. White House officials and congressional staff members say it will be followed in coming weeks by a House vote to lift the antitrust exemption for insurance companies, measures to assist small businesses and extend unemployment benefits, and a proposal to levy fees on Wall Street banks that received bailout money.

One senior White House official called the strategy an attempt "to force progress," at a time when polls show that the public wants bipartisan cooperation.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/12/AR2010021205419.html?hpid=topnews

[Captain Hilts]

1. I saw this is the WP this morning and am THRILLED. We should break up HCR and made them vote

against the specific measures that truly help people.

[thunder rising]

3. Congress and the Terri Schiavo Syndrom ... any sign of life is cause célèbre

[thunder rising]

2. WH is wrong about the public wanting bipartisan cooperation. The Dems wasted their opportunity,

that's all. This bipartisan cooperation is the pipe dream of somebody not of "the public".

[rucky]

4. I don't think they expect the GOP to take them up on the offer. n/t

[Bodhi BloodWave]

5. Don't assume that because you and some on DU are against it

means that your view is in the majority

No idea if it is or not; but I've seen more support(away from DU) for bipartisanship then against it.

Edit: I also think post 4 might be on the money.

[babylonsister]

10. You're right. The majority of people polled recently

want bipartisanship, regardless of what we in this DU bubble think.

http://documents.nytimes.com/new-york-times-cbs-news-poll/page/20#p=21

[thunder rising]

15. Republicans know it's dog-whistling for Dem failure so they all agree

Now add the regular split of Dems and Indis. When the minority can count on 23% of the Democratic and Indis base to agree ... they win.

Rebut that.

[niceypoo]

18. One bullshit poll

Means nothing.

Do you actually believe bipartisanship with these republicans is possible? Seriously?

[niceypoo]

19. Bipartisanship isnt possible

People might have a preference for it, sure, but people are also aware that it aint gonna happen with this GOP.

[Old Codger]

6. You Got it

I do not claim to be any sort of representation of "the public" but I am so fed up with this constant call for "bi-partisan" cooperation in the face of overwhelming proof that the rethugs are not going to go that route and the publicly stated intention to block in any way they can any and all bills that would in any way benefit the people they are sworn to represent.. This just serves to make the dems look like a bunch of third graders attempting to appease the playground bullies.

[babylonsister]

13. No, you're wrong. The public wants bipartisanship. See #10. nt

[thunder rising]

16. I disagree: see #15

[niceypoo]

21. They prefer it, sure...

But they know it isnt possible with this GOP. Do you believe it is possible with this GOP?

[msongs]

7. "we're not as bad as them" is a poor governing strategy IMO nt

[depakid]

8. No good reason why they shouldn't stick to their guns and oppose everything

other than the same tired old crap they've been pushing for the past 25+ years. Or worse. Waiting for the administration and the congressional "leadership" to fold- or look like fools while imploding.

They've been astonishingly successful with that strategy over the past year-and they've got the hapless Dems on the run yet again (even though they were on the verge of being relegated to the fringe for a generation).

[ray of light]

9. probably a good plan to break things up into bite size portions and get all of them on record!

[mucifer]

12. problem is anyone can lie in a commercial. No one is held accountable. So they can

lie about any bill and lie about their votes.

[WhiteTara]

11. I hope it works.

We need some social progress soon and if they won't go the route we'd like them to take, I sure hope their strategy works out. Or then they will listen to us and move the wheel.

[OHdem10]

14. This is what happens to a country when the truth is never required.

Every person just manufactures his or her own truth and
there is no one to correct it.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. yes

however that is easier if the media is on your side

[Arkana]

17. It could work

But that would mean they'd have to pull it off competently, which I don't expect the Dems to be able to do.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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