Never
Come What May
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2000
- Posts
- 23,234
I typically celebrate bi-partisanship, since Bush was appointed president I've cheered when the Senate Majority manages to trip up Republican efforts. Politics-As-Usual is both ineffective government and necessary government in my own, only slightly informed, political philosophy. Still, I understand that there are times when PAU needs to be set aside. When it's time to substitute conflict for cooperation; it seems the Democratic Party disagrees with me. If you don't know what I'm rattling on about, I'm talking about the Economic Stimulus Bill that was shot down before it even left the ground.
This county is hurting; the economy is as flaccid as Bob Dole's penis before Viagra yet the Senate packed itself off today so the members could enjoy the holidays and won't be meeting again for another month. Why wasn't the bill passed? PAU.
Yes, the bill was crafted by those on both sides of party lines. Yes, it contained a balance of issues from both sides. Yes, the President was backing the bill. What was in the bill?
A year and a half ago this is a bill the Democrats would have been singing the praises of while the Republicans lamented the 'welfare' state. What happened? PAU.
In Majority Leader Tom Daschle's own words:
``The longer we're unsuccessful in addressing it, I think the more responsibility for the economic circumstances the Bush administration must take.''
Basically, we have a situation where the President's approval rating is soaring which makes Democratic politicians very nervous. No matter how well a President is doing his approval rating is strongly tied with the economy, they can drop and rise almost as one.
I'm not saying this bill is perfect, no one is. It is, however, needed. And if this partisanship continues it will be many months before any bill is passed. Perhaps more Democrats should listen to the words of Sen. Zell Miller: "you can eat half a loaf. Having no loaf at all...somebody goes hungry."
It seems Daschle is willing to let the American economy go hungry for something as trivial as Politics-As-Usual.
This county is hurting; the economy is as flaccid as Bob Dole's penis before Viagra yet the Senate packed itself off today so the members could enjoy the holidays and won't be meeting again for another month. Why wasn't the bill passed? PAU.
Yes, the bill was crafted by those on both sides of party lines. Yes, it contained a balance of issues from both sides. Yes, the President was backing the bill. What was in the bill?
- A 13-week extension of unemployment benefits for workers who lost their jobs after the recession began in March.
- Those same workers would have been eligible for a government voucher to pay 60 percent of their health insurance costs.
- It gave displaced workers the option of buying their health insurance through their previous employer or buying it on the open market.
A year and a half ago this is a bill the Democrats would have been singing the praises of while the Republicans lamented the 'welfare' state. What happened? PAU.
In Majority Leader Tom Daschle's own words:
``The longer we're unsuccessful in addressing it, I think the more responsibility for the economic circumstances the Bush administration must take.''
Basically, we have a situation where the President's approval rating is soaring which makes Democratic politicians very nervous. No matter how well a President is doing his approval rating is strongly tied with the economy, they can drop and rise almost as one.
I'm not saying this bill is perfect, no one is. It is, however, needed. And if this partisanship continues it will be many months before any bill is passed. Perhaps more Democrats should listen to the words of Sen. Zell Miller: "you can eat half a loaf. Having no loaf at all...somebody goes hungry."
It seems Daschle is willing to let the American economy go hungry for something as trivial as Politics-As-Usual.
