Has Anything Changed?

I want to believe in the transformative power of President-elect Barack Obama's presidency, I really do. But here we are, days away from his Inauguration, and we are seeing the same old politics as usual play out in Washington over the President-elect's economic stimulus bill and his most recent appointments. This time the sniping isn't just coming from Republicans. It is coming from Senate Democrats too, before the Inauguration has even happened.

Case in point? The critical comments coming from many Senate Democrats when Obama's economic stimulus package was initially rolled out last week. I am all for a healthy debate on the merits of the bill, but let's show some leadership and commitment to get things done. The problem is that members of Congress tend to favor pork barrel politics where particular expenditures are earmarked for certain areas, thus currying favor with voters in the home district. Broad based tax cuts, as favored by the Obama team, do not necessarily play well in many districts as they are general and not targeted to any special interest groups or particular concern of a given state.

Senator Kent Conrad wants homebuyers to receive a tax credit. Senator John Kerry wants more investment in the energy field. Senator Ron Wyden wants infrastructure investments in bridges, roads and transportation. And that doesn't even take into account the laundry list of what Republicans want. New reports suggest that the Obama team is agreeing to many of the requested modifications, raising the scepter of a hodge-podge bill with all but the kitchen sink thrown in.

The economic stimulus bill cannot be everything to everyone or it will be so watered down as to be entirely ineffective. It is time for members of Congress to put aside their own self-interest and look to the greater good.

And what about Senator Dianne Feinstein, soon to be the chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, who initially railed against President -elect Obama's choice of Leon Panetta as CIA director because she was not consulted?! She said: "I was not informed about the selection of Leon Panetta to be the CIA Director. I know nothing about this, other than what I've read," said Senator Feinstein, who went on to strongly criticize the fact that Panetta was not from the intelligence community. Days later she said that the President-elect and the Vice-President-elect called her to apologize. She noted "They said sorry, we screwed up. I understand that." She then spoke to Panetta for twenty minutes and claimed that she was now comfortable with him, proving it was just bruised feelings that led to her initial opposition.

Since when does a President-elect have to check with the head of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to clear his appointments? Didn't we elect him and not Senator Feinstein? I fear that unless the President-elect can really get members of his party to put aside their agendas and self-interest and firmly get behind the goal of transforming the economy, enacting universal health care, revisiting entitlements, withdrawing from the war in Iraq and a panoply of other priorities, we will just see the usual ego driven intra party squabbles that have plagued Democrats in the past. We have a historic opportunity here that we cannot blow. The change that we voted for must extend to all parts of the Democrat party as well.

Comments

[eden4barack08]

Good article.

Democrats are really funny that way, they cave to a Republican administration, then grandstand and rail against their own for nonsense. I sure hope Obama will straighten them out with time.

[VMA]

I don't know if the Dems will pull it together unless their constituents let them know that they are tired of their BS

[WeMustSpeakOut]

I agree. I think we need to stay on top of congress and insist that they stop the incessant self-serving and begin serving the people as they were elected to do!!

They are a joke and an embarrassment and have done much more to harm than to assist of late! We need to actively call them out on their ineptitude. Enough is enough!

[SeanGardner]

Good piece Julie.

I'd like to think that this is not what we'll see from Democrats over the next two years. The leadership in the Democratic Party knows what iit's like to be in the minority, and they were all around when they lost power in 1994. So I believe they are fully aware of how far they have to go, and, what would constitute "over-reach" by voters.

I have full confidence that they'll get it together.