new rule: republicans don't get to influence bills they refuse to vote for

[unblock]

first things first, democrats create their own bill, without a peep from republicans (for the this purpose, i'll ignore that there are more than a few republicans in the democratic party already....)

THEN we can sit down and negotiate with republicans and work on a compromise bill. part of the negotiation goes like this: if we put in this tax break you want, then you have to deliver x more votes on the final bill.

if (when) it becomes apparent that they're not going to deliver the agreed number of votes, then the reconciliation committee either takes republican crap out and/or reverts entirely to the original, democratic-only bill.

[redqueen]

1. Kind of a no-brainer...

they screw up the bill, don't vote for it (but we do)... and so then we get the blame for the crappy bill they screwed up?

What a deal! :crazy:

[TheKentuckian]

2. I thought that was the old rule too.

Max is fucking loser and Obama should chuck him under the next bus that rolls by.

[unblock]

3. like i said, there are already a few republicans in the democratic party....

[Kansas Wyatt]

4. Obama should get a bus and run over Max.

[elocs]

5. If the roles were reversed the Republicans would ram through whatever they wanted,

telling Democrats to get on board or get lost. They clearly understand that politics is not a nice gentlemanly parlor game and proceed accordingly, making Democrats look like feckless fools.

[unblock]

6. the roles were recently reversed and republicans did it to us brutally

they did whatever they wanted, and then put in some pet local tax break for a few dino districts/states in exchange for just a few votes and called it bipartisan.

and we can't seem to do crap with even larger majorities.

ugh.

[redqueen]

8. And the reason is all too clear: $$$$$$

They were able to do whatever they wanted and get Dems on board because lots of Dems love $$$ more than they love doing their damn jobs.

Same reason we're unable to ram whatever we want through -- too many Dems in love with $$$$.

[robinlynne]

7. agree with Op and all replies. seems to me that Dems don't WANT a good bill, or we would have

one....

[redqueen]

9. Some Dems do... far too many don't.

There's more than one kind of Dem in DC.

[Hepburn]

10. Exactly!

I am sick and tired of wondering what will please the Pubbies. Fuck them...

[NecklyTyler]

11. Republicans are in the Minority. We don't need the Republicans to govern

We hold the Majority in the House

We hold the Majority in the Senate

We hold the Executive Branch

We need to just steamroller the Republicans and start passing our legislation. Let 'em scream

[spanone]

12. why give them ANYTHING???? i don't fucking get it...marginalize them

[unblock]

14. there's some political advantage in governing (from strength) with the consent of the other party

but there's no advantage to appearing to cave to the minority party.

my suggestion is a plan to govern from strength; what seems to be happening in congress appears to be caving to the minority party.

[4_TN_TITANS]

13. Sold... k/r