Did the tax compromise kill the GOP solidarity in the Senate?

[Recursion]

Or is this flurry of activity after a year or so of paralysis just what we should expect from lame duck sessions in this day and age?

[Ozymanithrax]

1. Lame ducks are always this way...

The test of GOP solidarity will come when they have a GOP Congress pushing shit out of the Congress. Problem is, that Democratic solidarity will be tested, and it hasn't been so hot.

[LawnLover]

2. There won't be a GOP Congress

Only a GOP House. Control of one branch isn't the end of the world.

[Ozymanithrax]

4. True, but the test will be when the House side begins passing bills...

Will the expanded GOP minority in the Senate support them and force Democrats to pass things just to get stuff done? Yes.

I think GOP solidarity is fine, and will remain so until the over reach and do something ideologically stupid, that the moderate voters can not accept.

[LawnLover]

6. We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

I don't think much of the Democrats in Congress at this point, but maybe they'll surprise us. I'm not willing to predict the future. I'm an optimist.

[Ozymanithrax]

9. There are times when pessimism is the optimist's choice.

I think we are in for interesting times, as the Chinese define it.

[LawnLover]

11. Really? I think we're in for business as usual

I've been around for a good many decades and nothing has really changed in politics. I don't expect it will now.

[Ozymanithrax]

12. I've probably shared a lot of those same decades, but I see more change...

politically and culturally.

We will see.

[LawnLover]

15. I think there's definitely change

but it's mostly about our ability to instantly communicate, so bad news travels faster. But the division of rich and poor is not really any different now than it was at the turn of the 20th Century, the banks are still in power, labor is still exploited. In many ways, in fact, we're better off now than we were a hundred years ago. We've seen huge strides in civil rights, labor, wages, social programs, and now even gays and lesbians can serve openly in the military.

There's been a lot of ugly tea party-like hate going on lately, but how is that different from the ugly McCarthy years?

The truth is, life in this country—and this world—has always been a struggle of good vs. evil and it will be that way forever. We can't make any claims that the world is worse now than it was in the past. That's almost an insult to those who have suffered.

[tcaudilllg]

14. That's what they always do.

But it usually doesn't happen when a Dem president is in control. However we have an excellent opportunity to regain (narrow) control of the House in 2012.

[Recursion]

3. This may be heresy, but I think the country has a decent record under divided gov't

At least, it seems to tone down maximalist demands (after some initial bravado) from both sides.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. Sorry, I thought Republicans shutting down the government ...

impeaching Clinton, and deregulating everything fell short of a decent record. That type of uggliness is what we will see.

[LawnLover]

7. The whole dynamic of government changes when

one side doesn't feel as if they're completely powerless. I wouldn't be surprised to see more compromise and cooperation between the parties in the future. But who can really predict it?

But then compromise doesn't seem to be very popular around here. There seems to be an "all or nothing" mentality that's a little hard to stomach.

[elleng]

8. It has done that in the past, and that was the reason for it, BUT

since repugs started acting like tyrants, I won't call 'decent record.'
PRAY for Senate rule change Jan. 5.

[TheKentuckian]

10. Only by a very strange matrix that is detached from the people and the nation's health

[tcaudilllg]

13. Moderate Republicans only show their hands...

when they fear their priorities stand to be squelched by their idiot "leaders" for some time to come. Still I suppose Obama probably did SOMETHING to convince them to vote on it... don't know what but it was something.

I'm sure we'll hear about it in Time or Newsweek.