Obama Had To Try Bipartisanship This Time -- Next Time Will Be Different

So let's get this straight. House Republicans don't care if their constituents have their TV cut off as a result of the mass confusion surrounding the conversion to digital television. How else to explain that only 22 of their number voted to extend the conversion deadline from Feb. 17, as it is now, to June 13? Given that the Senate had already passed the extension, it seems like a no-brainer, as it were.

And yet, rather than make sure that the people in their districts would not have to contend with snowed-out TV, 155 House Republicans wanted more to embarrass President Obama, who had endorsed the transition.

It's one thing for the Republicans to withhold their votes completely from a massive stimulus package, even one that could put lots of people back to work. It's quite another rather cavalierly to throw the TV watching habits of millions of Americans to the wind on a political lark.

That's the game the Republicans have chosen to play, along with 13 Democrats, primarily the self-indulgent Blue Dogs from rural districts. The bill actually got more votes than needed for passage under normal procedures, but the House leadership rationally figured that no one would vote against TV for their constituents like Health Shuler (BD-NC) or Charlie Melancon (BD-LA). Guess they don't watch TV in Asheville or in Bayou Lafourche, right? So the leadership put the bill on what's called the "suspension calendar," meaning it needed a two-third vote to pass. Despite the 258 votes in favor, that total wasn't enough to ensure passage. Rest assured, the bill will be back under regular order, and will pass. It will be interesting to see how many of those who voted against it this time will do so again.

The vote on TV was instructive, because if the Republicans (and those self-righteous Blue Dogs) will vote against TV, they will vote against anything. Heck, the vote on the stimulus package was probably easier for them than the TV vote.

If nothing else, the votes this week presented a clear road map to Obama and to the American people. A presidential term is a marathon, not a sprint, so it's tempting to see the decisions Obama made to try to get Republican support in a short-term framework. Kicking out family planning angered a lot of women, a key constituency for the Democratic party. Putting in more non-productive tax cuts angered a lot of progressives.

But Obama had to play the hand this way this time. After talking about the need for post-partisanship and bipartisanship, he had to go up to Capitol Hill, make concessions to the Republicans and the Blue Dogs, and then watch all of the Republicans vote against him. They said they liked Obama, of course, it was the nasty House Democrat leadership that the Republicans don't like. Nonsense. Voting against the plan was a vote against Obama, as much as it was one against Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Now the game has changed. Obama knows he can't trust the Republicans. Their idea of bipartisanship is someone going along with their bad ideas, like privatizing Social Security or giving tax cuts to the rich. Any resistance is attacked as playing politics, or partisan behavior. Obama can't event trust the Blue Dogs, some of whom owe their seats to Rahm Emanuel, Obama's chief of staff who recruited them when heading up the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. One Blue Dog veteran, Rep. Jim Cooper (BD-TN), extracted a promise for a fiscal responsibility summit, then voted against the stimulus package anyway. Is that promise still good? Perhaps Cooper's invite to the summit could get lost in that balky White House email system.

Now Obama can go to the American people and say, "I tried." I tried to go the extra mile, tried to make compromises to get a bill, tried to be bipartisan within the context of an election which Democrats won. And what did I get? Literally, nothing. Not one Republican vote. Not one. They resurrected the 1993 playbook when the Democrats had to rescue the economy from the first George Bush without one Republican vote and lost Congress as a result.

That playbook is sadly out of date. Obama isn't Bill Clinton. His mandate is more solid, his popularity more assured. If the Democratic National Committee manages to create the Organizing for America operation from the Obama campaign, and works it well, a new era of participatory democracy will descend on Capitol Hill and the Republicans won't like it. Obama will be less likely to make concessions to anger core constituencies as well, and that will be for the better because, as he put it, "I won." The Republicans who spent much of the debate on the stimulus package complaining about the spending in the bill (and making the same argument on the digital TV transition) also bear the responsibility for turning the $127 billion surplus they inherited from Bill Clinton into deficits beyond description through their own tax cuts and wasteful spending.

The Blue Dogs also will have to watch themselves as Obama's policies become more popular and they strive to keep their distance, even while campaigning on his popularity in 2010 in some of those states that went for the president last year.

This revolution will be televised, whether on TV or on the Internet, and the Republicans and their Blue Dog buddies won't be able to stop it.

(Note: These views do not reflect those of Public Knowledge)

Comments

[mostlybluedot]

This will definitely have to be a very public debate because the Repugs will not compromise. Why should they? They want Obama to fail and so they will only pass a bill that is watered down enough that won't succeed while at the same time bad mouthing the dems and Obama. The "hole' they are targeting are more tax cuts for small businesses, AKA their best friends. You can never fill that hole, don't bother trying.

[Thefamilyvan]

It is time for the American people to rise up and vote against representatives who don't vote their interests and that would be many of the Republicans! Unless you are very wealthy in America, the Republicans don't represent your interests! Obama has extended the olive branch of diplomacy to them and they slapped him in the face in return. So....... if he pushes his programs through without bipartisanship, so be it. If the American people are too dumb to see that their own representatives are voting against their interests, then they get what they deserve. NOTHING.

[lamac66]

Actually this is not the first time folks have had the chance to vote out politicians that did not vote in their best interest. Problem was that many folks that voted repunklican over the past 3 decaded were blinded by racism pretty much.

They let that override the fact that they were economically in the same boat that many of the victims of repunklican demonization were in. Now some of them are coming around but not as many that need to be.

The president needs to just ignore repunklicans in the house and senate and go straight to the Govenors and Mayors. They see the hurt and suffering on an hourly and daily basis. I saw Florida Republican govenor Charlie Chirst practically on his knees urging that this stimulus packgage go through.

[gracepayton]

AGREE WITH THIS ARTICLE. ALSO, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SMART, IF THE DIGITAL TV
COUPON COULD BE USED TO APPLY TO THE PURCHASE OF A NEW TV. I THINK, THAT WOULD
HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL TO THE ECONOMY AND TO THE OWNER. WHY INVEST THE $$$$
IN AN OLD PIECE OF EQUIPMENT??

[dianhow]

Yeah I like that idea.

[bhshore]

ATTN - dragonsoldier - THERE YOU GO AGAIN - THERE IS NO MONEY FOR ACORN

COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT - TO REHAB HOUSES, YOU KNOW HIRE MIDDLE CLASS CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, LOCAL SUPPLIERS - RELATED BUSINESSES -

I SMELL THE REPUBLICANS FEAR - CAUSE DEMS ACTUALLY TRY - WE TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS - WHERE THE RE THUGLICANS DONT EVEN FAKE IT - THEY JUST SAY TAX CUTS AND ALL IS WELL - DUDE YOUR A MISGUIDED S.C.UM BAG AND b/o/ehner et al should suffer more than i can say -

[dianhow]

Repubs should be known forever more as -
Tax cuts for the wealthy party. T C F W

[TakingBackTheUSA]

Good to see that the trolls are alive and well...

The author is right. Obama HAD to make good on the promise of bipartisanship during this time. He had to prove he meant it seriously and that it was not some campaign promise to be left by the wayside once he was in office. He made good on it, but to what avail? None. Absolutely none. What the GOP has made clear is that they'll talk a good game, and act is if they have interest in bipartisanship when America is watching, but in the end they will all go back to the Bush-era ways and tactics. The only bipartisanship that Republicans are interested in is if Democrats and Liberals vote with them. They have no intention of reciprocating.

The ground is indeed shifting. The Republicans are moving farther and farther right. There are very few "moderate" Republicans left. The vast majority are hard-liners. Those that are moderates Republicans, are being tagged with RINO (Republican In Name Only) and are being pushed out. The rest of the ground shift is that the Democrats are gaining ground in the middle because of the GOP shift toward further extremism, zealotry, eschewing of old party principles and their penchant for branding anyone that doesn't agree with them as "anti American" or "unpatriotic". Democrats will fill in the middle ground, leaving only the far right, which will soon be non-existent due to it's own actions, rhetroric, grandstanding and hypocrisy.

[cycodad]

The republicans are such smart people that they could not see OBAMA set them up. Therefore, if they were intelligent people they would have seen this. When one let so much hate,racism and pure ignorance rule their lives they become blind. But, In their eyesight and their limited ,very limited knowledge they are really smart. Smart but not INTELLIGENT. Someday , perhaps, they can open their eyes and minds to a new mind set.....there is a real world outside of their little world.

[Charlie M]

Isn't it funny ; Obama set a trap for the Republicans and they were to arrogant to see it coming .
Now he and the democrats can pass any bill they deem necessary and just say the Republicans opted out the first time, so why consult them ?

[loveu2]

I agree. How hard would it have been to have, say, a dozen Republicans vote for the bill, thereby making the Republicans at least LOOK like they wanted to cooperate! They are going to be sorry, I think. Especially if the tax cuts get taken out and the health care provisions get put back.

[sej100]

Well the GOP was given a gracious olive branch and they had a tantrum.
Its now time for Mr Obama to just move ahead without them
When they cry bipartisanship, the answer must be UNLESS they act in a BIPartisan manner the Democrats cannot for it takes TWO.
When one tries and the other spits in their face, the next move must be the other party.
Bipartisanship is now up to the GOP, either they move in that direction or it is THEY who made it impossible and decided against it for all of the American People to see.

The GOP Greedy Old Party
No new ideas, no move to the future, but they are THE party MOST responsible for creating havoc and making a mess.

Its so ridiculous to hear them cry deficit when they created the largest one in history!!
Now that a Democrat is in office they want fiscal responsibility. What that means is if they cannot spend the money of themselves and their friends the rich, no money should be spent at all.
You see the little people, those of us lacking millions do NOT figure in this at all not with the GOP

[tweedledeedumb]

Maybe it is time for the Dems to get tough with their own. A promise to run a candidate against each who supports the Repubs. this round? Enough of repubs in Dem. clothing!

[firstlisten]

I am so in agreement with you tweedledeedumb. You are so right-on! I'm starting to make a listr of Blue-Dog Democrats who vote in unison with the Republicans, which I will then demand that the Democratic Party give us a true Democrat to run against them at their next elections.

It is insane that we have to accept a Republican in our party. The DNC owes it to us to find an alternative to this , as you said, "Wolf in sheep's clothing;"...Oops! I mean "repubs in Dem. clothing!".

Very good call tweedledeedumb.

[dragonsoldier]

Yes the bill passed. Yes, through smoke and mirrors(provided by the MSM), the Pres reached across the aisle. Lets face it it, 100% of the GOP voted NO, did 100% of the Dems vote YES....
...NO!!!!
That is because the bill is a big bad wolf in sheep's clothing. Only a small percentage of this bill has anything to do with economic stimulus. It is a huge waist of our tax payers dollars.
They would be better off giving each "tax paying" family a large stimulus check. The citizen need the bailout, not ACORN!

[dianhow]

Why do folks keep making excuses for Bush & Cheney when they have caused so much damage to our country ? Maybe they are not even aware of it. A well informed voter is our best tool against bad govt. Read- research to get to the truth. Go to www.factcheck.org or www.polifact.org or www.snopes.com to check your info..Obama made some changes in this bill that the GOP DEMANDED -yet still-not even one GOP vote. Yes - this bill is huge- ( along with the 700 B bill Bush voted for ) We are sinking- no one knows yet what will work. We are forced to do something drastic.Time will tell if its correct. Obama will put the info about where the $$$ is spent. on www.recovery.com- How's that for transparency- after years of secrets. ? Bush used his Executive Priviledge- to protect his advisors ( Rove etc ) he said they can NOT EVER be questioned about any wrong doing- even after Bush is gone. That is a first ! What's he hiding ? Now the GOP is 'worried ' about spending !! Hello-where was their concern the last 8 years-when they rolled over for W. Bush had a GOP congress for 6 years. They did nothing but let the debt mount higher and gave huge tax breaks to CEO's-who ruined their Co's-and got 10-20 B bonus's. Doesn't this bother all you Repubs out there ? .

[firstlisten]

The bill was initially a good bill, but the Republicans insisted on adding tax cuts to the wealthy, which prompted the added pork on the Democrat side. As the President so accurately stated, "We won!"

Given that WE won, I am sure the Democrats decided to add their stuff as well, to assure them that WE won and that the years of their demanding that WE always make the concessions without a fight are finally over! WE won and we demand that they respect that fact.

To allow them to add a bunch of unnecessary pork without countering that move would send a false message to those MOST loyal to the Democratic Party.

Why should we allow the Republican Party to continually behave in the same manner as that which disgusted the American people? Tax-cuts for the wealthy, without accountability put us in the place we are in today. Much of what the Democrats added were necessary to counter the measures that would keep in place the same programs which weakened the American people.

Contraceptives help to educate. Planned Parenthood helps to ensure that the responsibilities we parents have are corrected in case we fail in our responsibility to educate our children. This stimulates the economy because it prevents an added strain to our economy.

Our current situation requires that we aggressively correct the mess the Republicans created, by addressing all possible culprits that continue to enable our downward spiral.

[pecospedro]

What utter nonsense. The Democrat version of bipartisanship is "my way or the highway". Dictator Pelosi had House Rules changed which effectively bar Republican participation in the legislative process. Who are you trying to convince?

[Charlie M]

Kinda sounds familiar , eh Pedro ? The Republicans did it for ten years and were always wrong . So who wants any input from them ?

[dianhow]

My way or the high way ? C'mom..you mean just as the GOP 'dictated ' for many years. Remember the Tom Delay types - who got their way for years.? Now the VOTERS HAVE KICKED THEM OUT.FAIR AND SQUARE. Now the GOP does not like being in the minority- Too damn bad. Now Its the DEMS turn. You missed one important fact - Obama DID listen to the GOP- and made changes in the bill to satisfy them- they still did not give him 1 vote. In his first week- Obama has done good things for the common man -. Limit lobbyists power-. make govt more open- freexe his cabinets salaries- -who made 100 K or more. That shows good will, can the die hards admit that ? The GOP ignored the average worker / citizen for too many years- then people woke up and ' saw the light.' Thats Democracy at work !! .

[firstlisten]

The Republicans (allegiance to big business and the wealthy) vilify everything public policy the Democrats (allegiance to the people and the Constitution) support. The Republican opposition to the Obama Economic Stimulus Package is NOT about aggressive spending; it’s about childish pouting over a resounding rejection by the American people. Why else would they collectively hang on ever word by Rush Limbaugh; the voice of hate.

It’s not about my way or the highway, that’s the republican way. President Obama bent over backwards for the Republican Party and they all voted against his bill anyway.

The Republicans NEVER offered the same act of bi-partisanship. Since the Democrats did not give in to all of their concessions, the Republicans cried like the spoiled little children they are. Negotiation for Republicans is about to conceding to all of their demands, even though they lost the election.

Republicans could care less what the American people truly want; it’s all about them.

Republicans are like an abusive spouse, always trying to deflect blame on their part to justify their continued abuse. They’re really sick in the head and need help. Myself, I’m tired of the whining and cowardice of not owning up to their failures. Republicans really need help.

[RJII]

the article is about Pres Obama reaching out to repulicans. stay focused

[quest44]

I could have told President Obama that trying to negociate with the Republican's is like trying to extract honey from a bee's nest ,,you will get stung !
The Republican party has always been against the middle class and the poor but it seems they have become more open about who they do support ,,"the very wealthy," .They made one mess on our economy along with Bush and now they actually think we trust their judgement on this stimulus package ,,are they kidding .They took a surplus and turned it into a debt so large we tetter on a depression and yet they have the gaul to get in the way of President Obama trying to clean their mess up .Some balls they have !
Obama needs to forget the Republican party and their message of hate to the middle class and the poor in this country and work around them until the public is able to eliminate them completely in the elections and then we will never have to deal with the Republican party again and their likes Rush Limbaugh .
Withhold a stimulus package for their states but not for the average person, only for the local government and see if they still don't want a stimulus package !

[schicklett3]

Never underestimate our new president - look back at how he ran his campaign, look at all the obstacles he and Michelle overcome from day one - look at his popularity here and abroad - and most of all look at how he dealt with his adversaries. After two years of everything from reverend wright to lies to innuendo to open racism to a 24 hours news channel spewing hate and lies about him and his family to his defeat of Hillary to his defeat of McCain and Palin and to his handling of himself through all these things. No way will he let the republicans or members of his party destroy him or his goals for our country. He will defeat them.

[nikky]

I HOPE YOU ARE RIGHT IT REALLY DISGUST ME TO EVEN LOOK AT SOME OF THEM NOW I SAY IF THEY WANT NO PART OF THE STIMULUS DON'T GIVE THEIR STATE ANYTHING THEY WILL BE FINE

[Helzapoppin]

Fine. Now that Obama's Post-partisan vanity has been proven foolish and naive, let's get down to serious legistation to fix this mess.

[dianhow]

I think you missed an important point- IT WASN'T VANITY AT ALL. Obama was only doing
what he had pledged to do. That shows he has character and class. But yes -trying to bring the hard liners in- most likely will not work. The GOP ( Rush- Hannity- Coulter ) are having a ' hissy fit ' since they lost big. and don't get why. Obama won 12 states that had gone for BUSH IN 2004. THAT's A PRETTY GOOD MANDATE. Go Obama !

[janeyu]

330 MILLION on family planning??? Pelosi couldnt even explain how will this 330 MILLION stimulate the economy exactly???? LOTS and LOTS of condom purchases... and you horrible republicans dont agree with this???? .And lets not forget the almost 5 BILLION -BILLION to ACORN.. Yes thats right BHO's favorite community organization.. How dare the evil republicans deny them ...Culture of stupidity

[daddysboy]

We could spend 330 TRILLION on family planning and still not have enough. Like most Americans, you are probably woefully unaware of the suffering of millions of young people and newborns due to chronic poverty and poor life-choices. It is a FACT that every penny the very poor spend goes right back into the economy so this is a no-brainer no matter how you look at it.

[dianhow]

THanks You are right on ! Folks can't see the forest for the trees. We have to think 'outside the box 'Amen !

[Helzapoppin]

A multi-milion dollar purchase is the definition of economic activity.

[Shotgun Mary]

Lets see . . . helping keep women healthy and able to continue working, how on earth would that help the economy? Gee, I don't know. Didn't a study just come out saying that women are in charge of the majority of money spent in a household? It doesn't matter anyhow, they took that out so they could replace it with more tax cuts for the rich. You know those Repubs, they'll take a wealthy CEO over an apple pie mom anyday. Oh yeah, and 5 billion to ACORN? I guess you missed the article here on HuffPo about how that ISN"T in the package. Guess you didn't read the bill either . . . Culture of stupidity you say?

[dragonfur]

Not just keeping women healthy. Keeping women UNPREGNANT. Takes pressure off everything, the economy, the healthcare system, the planet, even, for Pete's sake, to keep families smaller. And since most families are two-income families, it keeps both partners working. It's not that hard to figure out. One just has to THINK about it.

[dianhow]

Think about it ? Yep - so why don't people get this- Its so obvious ! THInK THINK THINK don't put your mouth in gear till you have given it much thought ..

[dianhow]

Family planning to me- is an investment in the future . Fewer unwanted babies- can mean less spent on welfare-medical care - crime- and building prisons. Since a somewhat high percentage of the babies may need tax payer assistance. Not to mention that unwanted children have a strike against them at birth. as for me- I like the idea. Folks- we have to start thinking 'out of the box '

[daddysboy]

"So let's get this straight. House Republicans don't care if their constituents have their TV cut off as a result of the mass confusion surrounding the conversion to digital television". Where do you get the idea that there is "mass confusion"? Everyone I know understands that traditional television has had it's day. Saying that folks will get their "tv cut-off" is quite a bit of confusing hyperbolic rhetoric in itself. The method of transport is simply changing to something far more useful to everyone, the networks stand to gain a tremendous amount of power from it and anyone that wants to has had years to request a stand-alone digital converter for their analog television. I would have to guess that the government will probably continue to provide digital converter boxes throughout the year as some people only will understand what is happening as it happens. I suspect that delaying this could only be to allow the networks time to negotiate for still more power and money (bandwidth and control) , making sure to keep it away from the public sector where it belongs.