Partisanship

Matthew Hoy
By Matthew Hoy on January 21, 2010

So much for the “reality-based community.” Here’s The Nation editor Katrina vanden  Heuvel in The Wall Street Journal offering advice to President Barack Obama in the wake of the Democrats’ loss of their 60-seat supermajority in the Senate on Tuesday.

And here's a no-brainer: After a year of being knifed by the GOP at every turn, isn't it time to give up on faith in genteel post-partisanship? Go after those who oppose your common-sense tax on big banks to recoup the taxpayer-funded bailout money.

Getting the strongest possible health-care bill as quickly as possible is now key. Passing the Senate bill first, and then quickly fixing it through the reconciliation process, could create strong political pressure for reviving the public option or Medicare buy-in.

Can anyone identify the moment when President Obama actually tried post-partisanship? Or bi-partisanship?

After campaigning – like Sen. John McCain – to reach across the aisle and bring Democrats and Republicans together, President Obama did nothing of the sort. (Just as McCain warned us.)

Did he work with Republicans on forging the stimulus bill? Nope, he let Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Harry Reid write it and damn the Republicans.

Same with the doomed health care takeover, despite referring to “my plan” repeatedly, the president outsourced it to Congress.

Give up on post-partisanship? The man never tried it.

2 comments on “Partisanship”

  1. The NY Times editorial of yesterday tried to say the same thing as Vanden Heuvel. It must be some talking point coming out of the White House. These people are delusional.

    It can now be said with a fair degree of certainty. Obama is a far-left political hack, who grew up politically in the putrid swamps of Chicago, never has had any private sector experience, nor any executive experience. Given that, his performance as President thus far should really not be surprising.

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