You don't bring me flowers, anymore
Watching President Obama’s overtures to the Republican stalwarts is like watching a friend in doomed relationship. He so wants this bipartisan relationship thing to work, but, as Tengrain says, “the GOP is just is not that into you.” But as anyone in a dysfunctional relationship will do, President Obama is sure he can make this work. It’s not you, it’s me.
I say screw ’em.
I am all for bipartisanship, and I was schooled in the Friends tradition of consensus, so I do not say this lightly. But while President Obama is trying to ensure that everything his new government does has the full involvement — and approval — of the Republican Party, certain hardcore rightwingers are going out of their way to obstruct, derail, and otherwise damage the progress of our nation.
The latest move was Gov. Judd Gregg suddenly pulling himself out of the running for Secretary of Commerce — but even before this latest news, it’s been clear that the Republicans have no intention in making this relationship work. As Helen Thomas writes:
President Barack Obama should stop trying to win over Republican lawmakers in Congress. He has turned the other cheek — and they slapped that, too.
While President Obama has gone to Capital Hill, has met with republican leaders, and spoken to the media of his desire to have both parties work together, not a single House Republican voted for the stimulus bill and only 3 senators did — and that was after insisting on gutting several areas of spending, such as education.
President Obama has pleadged to get our country back on track. In order for him to lead us back to prosperity and well-being, he needs to ditch the Republicans. Change will never happen in Washington if Obama constantly tried to make the Republicans happy. McConnell, Boehner, Cantor, Kyl, Graham, McCain, and all the rest.
Note to President Obama: It’ll never be good enough for them!
Nailing Jello to the Wall 
“I say screw’em”. ewwww. The thought of that makes me ill.
After today’s lack of GOP support in the House for the stim bill, I think maybe now Obama will get the message that every time he tries to reach across the aisle, they are just going to smack him down. He needs to move on with what he thinks is RIGHT, not what he thinks will make him friends.
As for the “screw ’em” part, I’d have to make a comment about call girls or Congressional pages or airport lavatories, so I’ll let that one go…
I understand some of his advisers have actually come out and said they realize now that they put too much emphasis on trying to get GOP votes. I think they have indeed learned the lesson.
the republicans certainly don’t mind spending on large corporations and giving the rich tax breaks which got us into this mess in the first place. now they are acting like spoiled brats!
being from maine, i am proud that both of our senators were willing to work with the democrats. we need to elect more republicans like them. i guess the rest of the party didn’t get the message on election day. they had their chance, they screwed it up, they will become irrellevant.
Fed with no goats wants to know if you got the idea for this article from conversations you had with her on the topic of her previous relationship?
Because if you did, you’re right! Don’t waste your time!
Excellent post, Sue. One would think Democrats might have learned a lesson from Bill Clinton’s presidency. Clinton signed a welfare reform bill (that he had vetoed twice before) in an attempt to “win over” conservative Republicans … and how did they respond? The impeached him!!
BAC
Fed With no Goats — I name no names. I think we’ve all been down that road to some degree!
They don’t get that, to righties, cooperation means capitulation. And compromise means abandoning one’s principles. Don’t hold your breath waiting for anything but obstruction.