I don't think that Senate Republicans are very likely to have an obstructionist agenda.

[Danger Mouse]

At least, not those with a sense of self-preservation. The remaining smart Republicans have seen the writing on the wall: the country is in the toilet, and playing the old games won't work so well back home anymore.
As long as Obama is a strong and decisive leader, and he keeps pressure on Reid not to cave, I doubt the Republicans will be able to do much in the Senate...I think the remaining Rep Senators are too scared of losing their seats to march in lockstep like they did when they were the ones with all the power.
I could be wrong...and I know a few of the worst Reps will be a constant headache for Obama, but I think overall the Republican party is in serious trouble, and if they're seen as getting in the way of helping the American people, they will not survive much longer. Most of them are cowards, some of them have shreds of integrity...I think if the lowest of the scum want to play dirty, they may have trouble finding takers once the Big O comes into town.

[leftstreet]

1. Are they objecting to many, er, any of Obama's picks?

:hide:

[wryter2000]

2. I hope you're right

I'm less sanguine. I only hope we can peel off a few (like Collins and Snow) that we can get past a filibuster. They're already threatening filibusters.

[Danger Mouse]

4. It's all bluster. They'd need to convince EVERY SINGLE SENATOR to sign on for it...

and I don't see that happening. The American people are hungry for change and relief, those Republicans who want to keep their jobs are not going to make a serious effort to stand in the way of it.

[gravity]

3. The Republicans want to pretend they are keeping the Dems in line

They aren't going to obstruct, but say that they are worried about the Democrats being reckless. This is how they are trying to make their party relevant, since they have no ideas on their own.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. At this point, I would not trust any of them as far as I could throw.

If their lips are moving they are lying..and if their lips are not moving, they are thinking about the lies they will tell!!!

[Danger Mouse]

6. I don't trust them, but I think their cowardice will work in our favorite.

Given the choice between saving their own hides and serving the hardcore obstructionist agenda, I think many will opt to save their skin.

[AlinPA]

8. Their constituents will vote for them no matter what they do. Guns, Gays, God, Flags, remember?

[backscatter712]

9. Very true - the Repubs left come mostly from Deep Jesusland.

Another thing is that a lot of them still believe in the "Free markets and deregulation solve everything!" bullshit, figure that all they have to do is blockade Obama's regulations and interventions and wait for the economy to magically fix itself, then they think they can claim credit and retake power.

Yeah, expect some pie-fights in the Senate. Especially when health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act are up for debate. In fact, I expect epic filibustering of the Employee Free Choice Act - most of the rethugs are violently anti-union.

[Danger Mouse]

10. That's not true anymore and they know it. McCain TRIED all of that and it didn't work.

Republicans realize that 2010 is make-or-break for them and they don't have the advantage...they face another uphill battle. There are some Repigs that are so deeply entrenched that they are unlikely to be beaten anytime ever, but many are vulnerable, and they have to offer more than wedge issues. Bubba may hate the gays, but after enough hurting from not having a job and seeing that the guy promising him a job is being obstructed by his own senator, his anger isn't going to be focused on Obama. Even the dumbest hick can be kicked in the head for so long before he finally gets sick of it.

[AlinPA]

7. I'm counting on my fingers those with "shreds of integrity"...I'm up to one, maybe two.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

14. Snowe, Collins...

Sometimes Lugar, sometimes Gregg, sometimes Enzi. That's my list.

[Danger Mouse]

17. That's all we need.

:shrug:

[Thrill]

11. They aren't going to fight the Stimulus. Its Healthcare and the Free Choice Act

is where they are going to get nasty

[PurityOfEssence]

12. Most sane people are a little bit scared right now

That should take some of the heat off of things.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

13. you're forgetting one important detail.

The only Republicans left, for the most part, are the most partisan, conservative assholes in the country. They STILL think they lost because they weren't conservative enough. I think they're going to follow the DUer model for being an opposition party and try to filibuster every last thing. They think they have nothing to lose.

[Danger Mouse]

16. But remember, we only need to get a couple on our side to make the others irrelevant.

I bet we could even get support from McCain on some issues...he has no reason to kiss Repuke ass any longer, and I have a feeling he's pissed off at his own party at this point anyway.
Also, there are weak Repukes like Collins or Snowe who probably care more for their own safety than for ideology.

[sampsonblk]

18. You win the prize

That's the answer. They think they weren't conservative enough. And the GOP has no acknowledged party leader. I expect a big competition among to see who will be the next champion of the conservatives.

[Jennicut]

15. The Rethugs have a choice, to create opposition to Obama and risk

being obstructionists and unpopular with the country or go along with Obama and therefore become irrelevant but perhaps still keep their jobs. We shall see. Some Rethugs will work with him, some with be total a-holes.