Republican: "Creating bipartisan coalitions is important to prevent Democrat legislative victories"

[Better Believe It]

Let's Crack The Bipartisanship Fetish On Health Reform!
by slinkerwink
Daily Kos
July 9, 2009

We've seen numerous articles about the bipartisanship fetish displayed by some Senate Democrats, most notably Senator Baucus, on health care reform. Bipartisanship is the only goal for Senator Baucus--and it doesn't matter whether the policies get watered down or diluted to the point of ineffectiveness as long as the end result is a bipartisan vote to prevent actual progressive legislation from passing the Senate. It's why it's so important that progressives in Congress are fighting back on behalf of actual health care reform with a strong public option, and that they're exercising their power as a voting bloc in response to the so-called Senate moderates.

It's time we know what bipartisanship means as a code word for us progressives from the words of a Republican staffer:

Ron Bonjean, who formerly served as chief of staff under Senator Kyl, said: "Creating bipartisan coalitions on key issues is important to prevent Democrat legislative victories."

So, when you hear these so-called Senate moderates extolling the virtues of bipartisanship--what they're really extolling is their ability to prevent progressive legislation from benefitting millions of Americans. These Senate moderates, such as Evan Bayh, Landrieu, Baucus, Conrad, and others, are all too happy with the status quo because as long as they have the power to block or water down progressive legislation, it means that they continue to get press and the White House listens to them and their Blue Dog counterparts in the House instead of to the progressives in Congress.

The most enduring parts of historic legislation we've had today wasn't passed with bipartisan support---such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Social Security Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)---in spite of the opposition of the Conservative Coalition which included Republicans and conservative Southern Democrats.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/9/751621/-Lets-Crack-The-Bipartisanship-Fetish-On-Health-Reform!

[depakid]

1. Ah, someone who gets it...

[ck4829]

2. And Baucus says "I totally agree!"

[polichick]

3. What about the president's focus on bipartisanship?? nt

[glitch]

4. And there you have it. nt

[annabanana]

5. BIG k&r. . . .n/t

[LWolf]

6. Slinkerwink is right. nt

[KakistocracyHater]

7. so now we know what NOT to do

:woohoo:

[Wednesdays]

8. K&R

:kick:

[Better Believe It]

9. Could it be any clearer?