The Price of Consensus: Obama and Congressional Republicans

[Joanne98]

President elect Obama is calling for "swift and bold" action on his "American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan" to stop the hemorrhaging of the economy. He also wants to change the way Washington does business, "turn the page" on the petty partisanship of the last decades. He's said to want "substantial Republican votes" for the plan. Politico reports he's looking for as many as 80 votes in the Senate, requiring that more than twenty Republicans climb on board. He's not only invited congressional Republicans to offer their ideas, he is building tax breaks into his plan that Republicans say would make it easier to support. (For updated reporting on this debate over the recovery package go here.)

Now Barack Obama has proven his political brilliance time and time again, so he has earned the benefit of any doubt. But frankly, this strikes me as a really dubious idea - both in terms of policy and politics.

In policy terms, the economy needs exactly what Obama calls for -- swift and bold action.
But inviting Republicans into the discussions insures only one thing -- delay. Their leaders, Mitch McConnell and the perpetually tanned John Boehner, have already scorned the need for dispatch, with Boehner calling for "public hearings in the appropriate committees." Delay will simply ebolden the lobbyists swarming to get their special interest built into the plan. Obama has a better chance getting a sound bill passed quickly than opening it up to the feeding frenzy that is the normal legislative process.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-l-borosage/the-price-of-consensus-ob_b_155764.html

[Demeter]

1. If Obama Wants GOP Consensus, Then He Needs a Big Stick

Start grand juries, make noises about indictments, and prosecute BushCo. It will work like a charm, trust me!

[Soylent Brice]

3. i foresee that as a possibility in terms of needed leverage

i doubt there would be follow through, but tis the game of chicken.

we usually lose in that game, so it will be interesting how this plays out.

[tom_paine]

4. Let's see what happens after Jan 20th The "smell in the air" is that will will be a repeat of 1993.

Bush makes a pardon of those who can incriminate CheneyBush.

Obama and the Democratic Congress wrap up all the Bush Investigations to "move on" "for the good ofthe country"

Except perhaps for maybe a token investigation to keep up the impression of faux opposition, but ONLY because the crimes were so multiple, severe and obvious for 8 years does even this slight measure need to be taken, of course there will be no effect, no convictions, off this one last remaining Potemkin Investigation.

I hope I am wrong. All signs, or most of them, I should say, indicate otherwise. I have never wanted more to be wrong about something.

[BR_Parkway]

2. His plan is ARRP?