Will Obama continue jousting with the bipartisanship windmill?

[leftofthedial]

Or did today's repuke shutout teach him anything?

[ihavenobias]

1. I don't know but

This makes the lack of infrastructure spending and excessive tax cuts much more infuriating and counterproductive than they already were.

[leftofthedial]

21. it is a *weak* stimulus package

and now all the political leverage works for the repukes.

Obama just got jobbed.

[gcomeau]

2. Seriously? Another one of these?

How do people not get this? It doesn't matter if the Republicans play ball with him or not, making the efforts at bipartisanship is a win-win situation all by itself. Either they work and he gets what he wants... or they don't work, the nation sees the GOP as a bunch of partisan hacks unwilling to work with Obama when he's at least trying, and Obama STILL gets what he wants because we control the House and Senate. Of course he's going to continue. He isn't an idiot.

[ihavenobias]

3. That sounds good except for one (big) thing

Why the enormous concessions on tax cuts and infrastructure spending?





Isn't the point of those things specifically to get bipartisan support and votes?

In other words, if these terrible and counterproductive concessions are being made but the Republicans STILL don't vote in favor of it, isn't that a big lose-lose?

[gcomeau]

4. No, it isn't a lose lose.

It is, at worst, break even. It reduces the effectiveness of the current piece of legislation, right now, which is a negative... but where do the Republicans go from there?

They were listened to, concessions were made, they got things they wanted... and then they still wouldn't cooperate. How the hell do they spin that going forward? It's a short term setback traded for long term advantage. And they can't just keep doing it, they turn it into a pattern and they'll get killed for it in the next round of elections.

[ihavenobias]

5. This is how the spin it

-If it works, they'll play up the fact that THEY got Obama to make concessions for many more tax cuts, etc.

-If it doesn't work, they'll play up the fact that THEY didn't vote for it because it was the wrong plan.

The only upside is that it makes them look like obstructionists, at least for now. The potential downside is that in the end they might end up looking like a reasonable opposition party instead. I'm just incredibly disheartened that some truly terrible concessions were made greatly reducing the potential impact of the plan. If you choose to respond to this, I ask that you please watch the first Maddow clip I posted beforehand. :)

[leftofthedial]

20. so we have a slam-dunk majority in the house

and the best your non-idiot could do is "finesse" a break-even?

The repukes just ate his lunch. They are on the wrong side of history here, but the country needs real and immediate help, not political games. They got a weak stimulus that is huge and certainly won't work as well as the one they started with. If indeed it is ineffective, the repukes will use it when Obama comes back asking for more and again in 2010.

[stillcool]

7. Why would that be a lose-lose?

The Republicans have shown what they're all about, right out of the gate. They've declared war. Now, if people don't call their Senators and raise holy hell...that would be a lose/lose for the American people. But it'll be fun to watch on tv.

[ihavenobias]

8. Because we'll get a very mediocre (at best) Stimulus plan and the reason we have it

is because of a (failed) attempt at bipartisanship.

The only upside is that it makes Obama *look* bipartisan (which I believe he is). While that does have some benefits, I don't like the idea of greatly sacrificing the quality of something as critical as this economic plan to get them.

And if you think I'm exaggerating I encourage you to watch that Maddow clip I linked to with Pete Defazio.

[stillcool]

9. Did you really think it was going to make it....

through intact? I saw the Defazio clip, and I would expect someone on the Transportation Committee to lobby for more funding. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't read the 647 page bill, but I think what is actually there is more than what is heard on the tv.

[ihavenobias]

11. It didn't even start off as well as it should have.

Maybe if it had had much more infrastructure spending to begin with we wouldn't have made so many concessions. Besides which, Obama WON. And the Dems WON, overwhelmingly.

We don't need to plead and cry and beg, we just need a couple of Repubs to come over, if that. That's the context you need to keep in mind. This isn't the 90's with a Republican controlled Congress.

[stillcool]

12. I realize that...it will be interesting..

how much it changes in the Senate. I think this theater, was just that.

[leftofthedial]

15. The non-idiot just got a bill passed with a third of a TRILLION fucking dollars

of our grandkids money going toward idiotic tax cuts that are an utter waste of money.


Your non-idiot needs to stop triangulating and playing politics and FIX THE FUCKING COUNTRY.

[stillcool]

6. Yes he will...Did today's shutout teach you anything?

Like the Republican Party just declared war on the American people?

[bigtree]

13. they've been at that war for a while now

I missed the part where they disarmed and stopped obstructing.

[stillcool]

14. I don't recall it ever being..

so blatant. I wonder how their state governments are doing, or what their unemployment rate is.

[leftofthedial]

16. they did that in 1963, if not in the 30's.

and again in 1980.

Today was not even a 1.0 on the repukes-hate-America richter scale.

[curious one]

10. I hope he continues to do that and show everyone how

much GOP LOVEs this country and its people.

[leftofthedial]

18. how long can we afford for him to water down his remedies for the economy

and for the most basic system of justice in this country in pursuit of something that the recent election tells us that the people ALREADY GET?

[spanone]

17. i think he knew exactly what they would do.....he took the high ground...offered change

they shit on him and the american people know it.

you can't get anymore partisan than 100% of the republics vote

[leftofthedial]

19. the bottom line is, well, the bottom line.

over a third of that bill is NOT stimulus. It is repuke mumbo jumbo.

[hologram]

22. He's a fast learner.

He also seems to have infinite patience.

Flip a coin.

[KittyWampus]

23. I'd say Obama engaged in a good bit of political theater. I think maybe you might need to learn some

thing.

[leftofthedial]

24. we don't need theater.

we need jobs.