No republican votes? Heh. I'm left wondering what all of the courting is good for?

[bigtree]

It makes good PR, I guess, but all of the 'reaching out' on, arguably, the most pressing issue our country faces right now produced NOTHING in the way of votes.

I don't see any reason to continue to pretend there's all this respect and collegiality with such blatant obstructionists. The House republicans were WORTHLESS in getting the stimulus bill passed. Moreover, they turned away from the outreached hand of the president and immediately began to work their worst politics to try and undermine him.

We're eventually going to get another chance to vote these rhinosaurs (and Dinos) out of office. There's going to come a time where it's going to be absolutely ridiculous for the WH or anyone else to assume (and present to us) that there are any of them worth holding up as honest brokers. I think we've already reached that point.

President Obama offered a bit of criticism today . . .

"Part of what led our economy to this perilous moment was a sense of irresponsibility that prevails in Wall Street and in Washington," he said. "And that's why I called for a new era of responsibility in my inaugural address last week; an era where each of us chips in so that we can climb our way out of this crisis. Executives and factory floor workers; educators and engineers; health care professionals and elected officials."

I'm expecting more talk from the WH on the "irresponsibility that prevails in Washington" as they handicap future votes. It may be a longer wait for the WH to drop the (President's) assumption that republicans can be reasoned with, but I look forward to that day too.

[MadMaddie]

1. Well I think this might have been pretty darn good strategy

Obama made the effort to reach out to the Repugs, they have proven that they are not willing to do whats right for the country. They are only for their party and that will be their parties demise.

[elleng]

PR of the kind reps have garnered for MANY years.

.

[Zynx]

2. For making the Republicans look silly. Obama is clearly reaching out and the Republicans

just spit in his face because they feel they should have the majority say in the bill.

[spanone]

3. President Obama tried. i believe he is exposing them for what they are. republics

[Justitia]

4. Well, I'd say this is a green light to tell them to Go Fuck Themselves. -eom

[Xipe Totec]

5. High political theater

look, we're willing to work with them and see what they do? They act like obstructionist assholes.

Is that the kind of representation you want in Congress?

No?

In 2010, vote Democratic... :dem:

[Blue-Jay]

6. They need to get slapped around a bit first.

Once they figure out that nobody is buying their pathetic martyr routine, they'll behave better.

[kevsand]

7. There's an excellent reason to continue courting:

to build a relationship for future cooperation and support. Just because it didn't bear any immediate or obvious fruit the first time out (on the biggest spending bill of all time!) is hardly reason to give up. Bipartisanship is not a "just add water" type of goal. It takes time, and effort, and will ultimately benefit everyone in the long run.

Eventually there will be issues where Republicans begin to splinter, with self interest and common sense separating out individual members from blind obedience to their party caucus. Obama should never cede the moral high ground by giving up. Sticking to his principles will, at a minimum, reveal to larger and larger sections of the public the pettiness and craven cynicism of our opponents in increasing clarity over time.

[bigtree]

9. bipartisanship isn't one party reaching out and the other going their own way

I'm left to wonder why we bothered to put republican initiatives in this bill at all?

[kevsand]

12. Because some of the Republican initiatives were good ideas.

That's how this is supposed to work. Bad ideas would not have been included for any reason. Good ideas are included because they'll work, and we shouldn't care where they come from.

And the future of bipartisanship can not be measured entirely or exclusively by one vote alone.

[bigtree]

13. that's just rhetoric

I'll wager that money would be better spent on infrastructure or other investments, rather than business tax breaks. Maddow just mentioned a study which found that corporate tax cuts favored by republicans produce the least 'stimulus' to the ecomony.

[kevsand]

14. I haven't seen the final language yet...

...but I wasn't aware of any business tax breaks being included. Obama (not the Republicans) had proposed some originally to encourage businesses that created new jobs, but I thought it got pulled. There may have been some that slipped in along the way (I honestly don't know until I read it), but if there aren't, then you're complaining about something that wasn't part of the bill at all.

Do you have a specific, sourceable Republican addition to the final language that is objectionable, or are your complaints just as much "rhetoric" as you accused me of using?

[stillcool]

8. Republicans just declared war..

on the American people. It would be nice if the Senate beefed up the bill some more with 'stimulus' of the people kind, and actually all voted for it. But I'm dreaming.

[JNelson6563]

10. It is for appearances.

President Obama is using a tried and true method of politicking. You take the path that is above reproach, let your enemies play the shit flinging monkeys and let the world see them do it.

He's got a mandate, he's got a majority in both chambers of Congress, he can easily afford to play it this way. I think he's playing it brilliantly.

Julie

[bigtree]

11. except for whatever republican initiatives they included in this legislation

. . . in hopes of appeasing the pack of liars.

[bridgit]

15. To illustrate how phony & two-faced they really are; now it's time to start carving their names...

into infamy & obstruction