I don't believe in practicing bipartisanship with the republicans in Congress

[bigtree]

. . . not with the crowd that are stinking up the place in the present population on the Hill.

The republican party and their proposals are obstructionist at heart. They don't believe in the wisdom or efficacy of almost the entirety of what our party believes the federal government should be responsive to.

The reason I raise this is because I think we're seeing, right off, that there is no significant opportunity to forge the types of relationships between parties that the president envisioned and represented in his campaign as his preferred means of getting things done in Washington. He even went so far as to criticize what he called unnecessary partisanship, as he reflected on past legislative efforts; specifically criticizing the Clinton administration's efforts to effect health reform as fatally partisan.

I think that if the Senate leadership believes in what they're advocating for, like their health care initiatives, they should proceed under Reconciliation. We should also vote down the filibuster rule. It makes no sense to worry what republicans might do if they get the majority. They have no regard for the wishes of Democrats at all, and will drive us into the ground to get what they want.

Who are we trying to impress with the useless principle of bipartisanship in advancing legislation when we know the opposition is ruthless at every level of their influence and power? Their obstruction should be met with a swift rallying of our majority to do what they promised when they were fishing for our votes in their elections. They have the numbers - all they need is the will to use the majority we gave them.

Maybe they're hiding their own obstruction behind their silly rules.

[nc4bo]

1. If it walks like a duck.......

How can this administration consistently seek bipartisanship when the opposing party consistently objects to just about every thing placed before it confuses the ever living hell out of me.

I don't like being in this continuous state of confusion. I don't see the proof that bipartisanship works and it forces me to look for ulterior motives and question the reasoning of all involved.

Sometimes I feel like we're nothing but pawns.

[JVS]

2. It takes two to do bipartisanship, and the GOP isn't interested anyway.

Democrats look like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football on this and should stop.

[Goldstein1984]

5. And health care reform is like the...

Great Pumpkin

[Tippy]

3. Republicans don't hide behind rules because rules only apply to Democrats

What the Bush administration really meant by "bipartisanship" is that the Democrats in Congress do nothing to stand in their way and, most especially, that Democrats recognize that there will be no looking into what the Leader has done or subjecting his Decisions to any scrutiny. We lived with the Bush meaning for eight years.

True bipartisanship means leaving ideology at the door, conducting dialogue that is straightforward and open to public view, thoroughly exploring the pros and cons of issues, and after all that, making legislative advances based on the will of the American people. Many still believe, Congress works for "we the people" but when Bush lead us like sheep to the slaughter, after 9/11, anyone with any common sense, had to know what we would be up against for years to come.

What Obama invited the nation to do, regardless of party, was to return to the basic American principles that made us strong and great over the past century and that were violated, discarded and mocked by those in power over the past eight years. This was in and of itself was a good idea, but Republicans knew they would have a tough time competing against Democrats for a long time if Obama was able to do even a third of what he promised. I have to give credit to Republicans they know how to stick together. Did Republicans rebel against Bush on any issue? I know I'm getting old and my memory is not what it once was, but I don't think they did.

Hell people in this country gave Bush 8 years...now they expect Obama to preform miracles. Everything WE say against our President will be used against him and us from now till 2012.
Getting off my soap box now.......

[Prophet 451]

4. I don't believe bipartisanship is POSSIBLE with Congressional Republicans

Bipartisanship is only possible when BOTH parties are willing to compromise and the Congressional Republicans approach to compromise is "let the other side do it, we're not budging".

[old mark]

6. I agree with you. The great PA Liberal Senator Specter stated that

the only reason the GOP is against health care change is politics - they would be against anything the Democrats proposed because they want to halt any good our efforts might achieve to make us-and by extension Obama-look bad to the voters.
Republicans have NO INTEREST in the good of the American People, only in gaining votes by trying to negate any democratic efforts at progress.

mark