Republican 'extortion' letter

[Joanne98]

When I arrived at 30 Rock, the team at MSNBC's "Jansing & Co." was buzzing with the news of that letter from all 42 Republican senators. They vow to block any measure that does not deal with keeping the government running and addressing the Bush tax cuts. It's a brilliant bit of political theater. Because these issues are vitally important and must be dealt with during the limited lame-duck session, everything else will get squeezed out. Thus leaving other issues at the mercy of a less sympathetic Republican majority in the House and reduced Democratic majority in the Senate. DREAM Act and repeal of don't ask don't tell? They could be on life support.

Anchor Chris Jansing asked me on air what I thought the Democrats should do. I was at a loss. But David Mixner, gay rights advocate and political adviser, was not. Saying that "we need to be tougher on the Republicans," Mixner thundered that what the GOP is doing is "cheap, political extortion." He said that what they are doing, and I'm paraphrasing here, is telling gays they can't serve their country, telling immigrant students they can't pursue their dreams and cutting off millions of Americans from unemployment benefits just in time for Christmas.

Well, when you put it that way, David, I'm inclined to agree.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/12/republican_extortion_letter.html