Says here that Republicans are still fretting over the Democrats’ plan to ram their pet bills through Congress without allowing Republican input.
Republicans are in a tizzy because Democrats are threatening to use the budgetary procedure known as reconciliation — it reconciles policy with fiscal guidelines — to overhaul the health care system, possibly enact climate change legislation and rewrite education policy.
They have good reason to fret: If Democrats successfully invoke reconciliation, such major bills could pass by a simple majority vote, denying Republicans the filibuster, their sole remaining weapon to influence federal policy given the Democratic grip on government.
Dumb or unprincipled, take your pick. If Republicans really think that these laws will work, then they should join in enacting them and it’s unprincipled to oppose them. If they believe, on the other hand, that the laws will wreak havoc on our country, then they should stand back and let the Democrats take full credit, and remind voters of who was responsible the next election. Instead, these losers are whining that they want “input”, a chance to add their signature to these disasters, so that they can share the blame with the Democrats when it all blows up. That’s dumb, I say.
Right on, CF. Repubs need to act like the Opposition Party and stridently oppose, oppose, oppose, and at the same time propose clear alternatives to all pieces of major legislation introduced by Democrats. Then you have something positive to run on in ’10 in clear contrast to the out-of-control, disastrous, catastrophic Democrats. Repubs need to make it clear every day that Dems control Congress and 1600 and therefore are totally responsible for what is going on. Message to voters: If you don’t like the way things are going, i.e., straight to the poorhouse, and want the alternative, vote straight Repblican in ’10.