While the Democrats have a solid majority in Congress and hold the Presidency, they seem to be largely incapable of getting things done.
Part of this is an image and perception problem. For example, some folks in the media have somehow managed to present the Democrats as somehow not being a majority.
Of course, the majority of the problem is based in reality: the Democrats are divided and seem to be unwilling to get things done. Part of the division is due to the fact that some Democrats seem to be Democrats in name only (the Blue Dogs, for example). Part of the division is that the Democrats are also divided on the left. Given this lack of unity (especially when contrasted with the Republicans) it is rather challenging for the Democrats to get it together. Hence, while the Democrats have a majority it is a divided majority.
Another part of the challenge for the Democrats is that the Republicans are rather unified and seem dedicated to fighting a holding action. To be specific, the Republican strategy seems to be to block the Democrats until Americans get sick of the deadlock and vote the Republicans back into power (which will be rather ironic). Once the Republicans get back into power, they will no doubt chastise the Democrats if they don’t work with them. After all, when the Republicans are in power they (and their Fox friends) love to talk about how people need to support the President and do things for the good of the country.
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“For the good of the country” is the key issue. Apparently the Democrats can’t agree on what that is. This is just the usual Left-hickup America hasevery once in a while, usually after a bad war or political screwup–like Vietnam ad Watergate. Then we’ll get back to center-right–and being the best country ever.
John McCain lost because:
1) Though an honorable and competent man, his campaign was ineptly run.
2)He tended to do exactly what you seem to imply Republicans should do: Play nice with people that don’t belive what they believe. If he would have stood his ground and defined his stance firmly against Obama’s, he may have won. Instead he was wishy-washy.
……Some Republicans don’t agree on the key issue you’ve identified. You admit that by referring to center rightists. Those dudes don’t agree with neocons on what’s good for the country. Some other points. Sometimes wishy washy means weak. Yet people who see issues in black and white sometimes use it to describe people who are willing to admit their mistakes. Bush admitted no mistakes. But he was arguable a weak president and a weak Republican. Too much of a Democrat according to the born again Republicans. Wishy-washy. Other Republicans the self- proclaimed true Republicans and Democrats the self-proclaimed true Democrats both think they’ve found their voice. They know what’s good for the country. Opposing ideas aren’t. Correct me if I’m wrong. But. This country wasn’t built on that mode of thinking. Federalists and Anti-Federalists hammered out a Constitution. Likely a lot more difficult to do than passing a health care reform bill. In case we’ve forgotten here’s a quick, straightforward review. http://library.thinkquest.org/11572/creation/framing/feds.html Both sides knew what was good for the country. But they got something done. Because both sides made concessions. They didn’t stand firm and unflinching on their idealogical ground. They were wishy-washy. Dumb bastards.
Text and vid. A classic example of the subject matter of our two posts. http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/mcconnell-makes-excuses-republicans-voting. The ignominious death of the Conrad-Gregg fiscal commission.The honorable and competent John McCain and six other Republicans helped cosponsor the idea.They and McConnell knew what was good for the country a few months ago. They were for this legislation. McConnell even said quote it was something we could have a bipartisan approach on unquote. Listen at 1 min 58 plus. His weasel now is that there’s a recession and high unemployment and increased spending. That’s nothing that McConnell and the bunch weren’t predicting from the day Obama took office. Nothing that wasn’t foretold by the mess he met when the WH. But they cosponsored the bill anyway. The only thing that’s materially changed since then is the climate in the voting public. A now they’ve switched because of the political heat. A global warming Republicans and Democrats alike believe in. Changed their minds about what is good for the voting country.Just like that. Yeah. It’s only the Democrats who can’t agree on what the ‘the good of the country’ is. BTW Not exactly the same thing, but didn’t I read somewhere that 30 Republican male senators voted against Franken’s rape bill. There’s probably a pattern here.
Actually, you’ve got it wrong. The Democrats have achieved great deal. They’ve tripled the deficit in one year!
Bravo!
Again–one-termer.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/15/david-axelrod/axelrod-claims-bush-saddled-obama-big-deficit/ Now factor in problems even the new Republican president the right honorable John McCain would have had to deal with. Of course Republicans like to push problems down the road as far as possible. But factor solutions to those problems in. Just to be honest with yourself and others.
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