How do you feel about "reaching across the aisle?"

[ecstatic]

I can't stand republicans, I don't agree with anything they say... but I'm open to anything that will help get something...anything done... I'm sick and tired of a stagnant congress and senate! But I've pretty much decided that I will be part of Obama's 29% base. LOL. No matter what happens.

I can't be the only one who intuitively knows that we can't continue this way--completely divided and partisan. We have to at least appear to be headed towards unity.

[polichick]

1. I believe in reaching across the aisle - and yanking them over to our side of issues.

[Lisa0825]

16. That is exactly what he has done!

I have seen so many clips of him talking RESPECTFULLY and LISTENING to the POVs of Republicans, and then explaining his POV and the advantages of it. He knows how to negotiate and sway people and gain their trust. He will reach across the aisle. He will not be a far left liberal. But I do believe he will bring the center a little farther to the left. I think that is how we gain support for liberal policies, as opposed to trying ram change down the conservatives' throats.

[polichick]

30. Yes, I think he'll be very good at getting things done...

The truth about liberal policies is that they are expressions of our Constitution ~ who better to illuminate Congress about that!

[Terry in Austin]

36. Hear, hear!

If "we" do to "them" what they've been doing to us, it just keeps going 'round and 'round and nobody gets anywhere. With Obama, for the first time in twenty or thirty years, we have somebody who knows how to govern.

Unsatisfyingly enough, that means taking everyone's point of view seriously and addressing it seriously. The fact is, "they" are not just going to go away, much as we might like them to, and for all the power we might be able to gather against them. We have to deal with them, and it's not in our own interests to leave them disgruntled.

The toxic paradigm of the last era was the idea that politics continues into governance. That's the main reason, IMO, that so little governing actually got done. In politics, success means defeating the opposition. In governance, success means reconciling the differences. I believe our new president will untangle the two very handily.

[babylonsister]

2. Obama should choose whomever he feels is most competent

to get the job done. And I'm confident he will.

[billybob537]

3. I think it's time for

republicans to reach across the aisle. Or stfu

[Ian David]

4. Obama should offer cabinet positions to Moderate Repukes who are sitting senators...

... in states where a Democratic governor can appoint their replacements.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Like here in Maine?

[givemebackmycountry]

5. Keep your friends close....

And your enemies closer...


Don Corleone

I have a feeling that Barack Obama is going to be NOBODY'S fool, and he's going to outsmart and outwit all of these scum.

Has he displayed anything but cool, calm, confidence?

I think not.

[daninthemoon]

18. It's going to be fascinating to watch. I too believe that he will be able

to define the issues, and shape people's opinions. He will lead with intelligence.

[ecstatic]

33. I vaguely remember a story a rethug told about working with Obama

Obama would listen and engage but he stuck to his principles. Obama is no fool and will not be swayed into GOP ideologies. I believe he can get those repubs to change their views.

[FreakinDJ]

6. Ask the Repubs "How they Feel About a Reach Around"

Cause I say "F"-em

They screwed over this country and got nothin coming

[TomInTib]

14. That's where I was headed.

But you did it for me.

Fuck 'em, indeed.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. I'll put up with bipartisan if liberals and progressives are included too

[daninthemoon]

27. Exactly. For several years, repubs have excluded anyone whom

they decided wasn't going to agree with them lockstep. This is the core of many of the problems, that too few held power instead of the entire congress being able to participate. We need actual participation to replace the partisanship.

[GreenPartyVoter]

29. "Participation, not partisanship" I like it!

[sufrommich]

8. Obama has to go with what works for our country and

our Democratic ideals,if he needs to include republicans to get it done,I'm OK with it.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. I'm not real crazy about it,

but I'm not the president.

[Bucky]

10. Enough Reddies to give him political cover. But hammer the shit out of 'em in 2010

I'm sure we'll be seeing the fruit of their "Arkansas Project v2.0" by then. Obama may be less vulnerable than the insular Clinton team was, but that only makes him a bigger threat to the Scaife's of the universe. Hopefully enough Republicans will work sincerely with their new president that the headcases can be marginalized--but I wouldn't count on it.

It'll take a couple of 2008 style clobberings before these lions get tamed. They remain trouble with a capital R.

[sufrommich]

12. Obama has to go with what works for our country and

our Democratic ideals,if he needs to include republicans to get it done,I'm OK with it.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

13. I can not

abide what they have done to this country.

No reaching... except maybe to slap them with Joe Lieberman's dirty underpants.

[geckosfeet]

15. First two years - no pubs. Feel them out. Find a good fit. Third year if

there is someone who has earned a spot, maybe.

First two years, act fast and decisively without pubs loading things down. It will be hard enough getting stuff by them in the houses.

[damonm]

17. Reaching MUST happen,

Or we're no better than the freepers.

We have to show them HOW TO GOVERN. When we have success, they'll lose anyway.

[gravity]

19. I want some real compromise in congress

Not this trading pork and special interest back and forth. This Congress is just absurd.

If you take the politics and focus on solving our problems, you will be surprised how much democrats and republicans can get stuff done together.

[Dukkha]

20. only with a sharp cleaver!

but that's me. Obama is truly a uniter and will do well in forging alliances that are productive.

[Kerrytravelers]

21. I don't think every idea that comes from a Republican must automatically be wrong.

I think that some ideas from Republicans may be in the right spirit, but there are areas of an idea in which I may disagree. Then a compromise should happen.

And then some ideas are just bad bad bad.

I am all for reaching across the aisle. I want the loyal opposition to be a functioning party, otherwise, there is no moving forward. Everything is just a big drama and I am tired of the big drama.

[skepticscott]

31. Moving forward where?

The Democrats either think they know better than the Repugs how to run the country or they don't. The Repugs have no deep, dark secrets that they'll only share with us if we teach them the secret handshake. We know all of their plays and can use whatever of them we think are worthwhile, but we don;t need their help to do it. Whether they come along for the ride is up to them.

[baldguy]

22. Obama's administration should be very bipartisan

But please don't mistake "bipartisan" as surrendering to the fascists within our midst. THEY need to be purged.

[skepticscott]

34. It's only losers who call for "bipartisanship"

In this case, it's just the Rethugnicans code word for "please don't do to us what we would do to you in a heartbeat if our positions were reversed"

[ecstatic]

38. I like this poll because, prior to it, I would have assumed that

most DUers thought like you. But that doesn't seem to be the case. :)

[rucky]

23. For cabinet posts, he's the boss

Which means that if he does put in a Gates, for example, Obama wll still ultimately have the final say in decisions. I'm okay with that, but Congress should definitely NOT compromise unless they absolutely have to.

[Sebastian Doyle]

24. Let's drop the bullshit mythology and deal with what's real as opposed to what's constructed.

There is room in America for Liberals, actual moderates, and actual conservatives.

There should be ZERO tolerance, and ZERO inclusion of corporatists, and especially neocons.

The red America vs blue America fiction has been shatterred. The same needs to happen to the "center" fiction.

Reasonable people from across the spectrum can find common ground. But the basis of that common ground MUST be what's best for the American people. Not what's best for Exxon. Or Halliburton. Or Goldman Sachs. Or AIPAC. Or the NRA. Or the pharmacutical companies.

[skepticscott]

25. You still don't get it, do you?

The Republicans are not remotely interested in "unity" They will take everything that we give them in our weakness and use it to take power back as soon as they can, at which point they will resume grinding their heels into our faces and giving us nothing.

[ecstatic]

35. I definitely get that part. I want the dems to operate in a way that

will continue to get us new seats though. I want them to actually be effective and if it takes bipartisanship, so be it.

[unpossibles]

26. I'm cool with it as long as he doesn't get too slimed from touching them

Seriously though:
1 - it will win over a LOT of moderates and even some Republicans if he does it right, and without forgetting his principals or abandoning the base completely. This will help ensure that more gets done and that America heals some of these nasty wounds.

2 - Hell, we might even get a few conversions in Congress - you never know, as it's happened before.

[4_Legs_Good]

28. I want to be pissed because he reaches too much

I hope he does exactly what he says he will, and work first and foremost on things we can agree on. His DNC speech laid out a ton of stuff that we CAN agree on, and that as a nation, if we tackle first, we'll have a great jumping off point for anything else we want to get done.

I supported Barack first and foremost because I thought he could bring a transformation to our country and heal the terrible rifts that have been dug by Bush.

Yes we can.

David

[damntexdem]

32. It's worth reaching across the aisle -- some of those pockets are very pickable.

Seriously, a few GOP senators will be needed -- even if the Dems hit the max at 60 with AK, GA, and MN, that still includes LIEberman in the calculation. They'll need a GOP senator vote or two to get a program through.

And the public generally wants a less-bitter partisan divide. I say invite a GOPers to participate in passing a thoroughly-Democratic program and confirming many good judges.

[ibegurpard]

37. Well, not a lot of moderate Republicans left

So I'm not sure whether compromise can be reached with the rest.
I can handle reaching across the aisle to moderate to conservative Democrats.

[lonestarnot]

39. Only to slap 'em in the head!

[Johonny]

40. I want a president that wants to be president of all America

You can't be president and ignore the other party and have the respect of the people.

[blondeatlast]

41. Long as Obama stays in charge (and he clearly will be), it;'s fine with me.

His campaign was damn near flawless; I think his administration will be open to many ideas and he'll find the most effective ones and know how to use them.

[Joe the Revelator]

42. The only way we can keep power for the forseeable future....

is to work across the aisle to make America great again.

[skepticscott]

43. And when was the last time America was great?

[BlooInBloo]

44. There's all the Charlie Browns, oh-so-eager for Lucy to pull the ball again for the 324532th time...

Suckers.

[kenny blankenship]

45. How do Republicans define BIPARTISANSHIP? Let's see, I remember there was something about this...

Maybe someone remembers the answer?

[SoonerPride]

46. Take and hold the center and govern for a generation.

Nudge the country left and we will win.

Make the repukes the party of the extreme right.

[LynnTheDem]

47. With or without pitchfork in hand?

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

48. Obama needs to make progress fast on a lot of nasty issues. Getting the support of moderate pubs

is the only way this happens.