Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Why Does Obama Insist on Being Bipartisan?

I'm with Rachel Maddow on this. The last election was a referendum on the economy as much as anything else - and who was considered most competent to handle it - and the electorate came out firmly on the side of the Democrats.

So why would it be "partisan" for the Democrats to push ahead with their policies if it wasn't considered "partisan" by the Republicans to push ahead with their tax cuts?



It does seem to me that bipartisan behaviour is expected only from one party.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of his greatest skills is bringing others into a project in order that they make it their own and fight for it rather than against it.

The stimulus package does contain a lot of questionable stuff and doesn't have the approval of more than about half of Americans. If things in it prove to be unsuccessful, as large economic changes often are, there will be a mad rush of republicans claiming they are the better alternative because they didn't vote for the lousy stimulus bill. It isn't his style to pass something by 51%. He should be aiming for more like 75%.

Kel said...

I am all for consensus, but it seems to me as if the Republicans are giving themselves wriggle room in case this doesn't work.

I note that he has pushed it through without Republican support and can only presume that, for purely political purposes, the Republicans are hoping that this doesn't work. Which is fairly shameful.