It Takes Two to Tango

Divided government, checks and balances, rigorous debate; it all sounds so wonderfully democratic, does it not?  Well too much of even an otherwise good thing looks as if it may spell doom for whatever remnants of actual legislating that could be salvaged out of the 112th congress.  As the 2012 elections draw ever closer and lawmakers becoming less risk-averse, it will only be that much more difficult to tackle big issues requiring tough votes.  Once again we will witness selfish politicians put political self-preservation ahead of substantive legislation, and real people will continue to be hurt as a result.

But why is it really that nobody in the GOP can stick their neck out to offer even minimal praise for an Obama proposal (let alone cast a vote in favor of it), including ideas they themselves have often championed?  We cannot say for certain, but the purity test for congressional Republicans and the weeding-out of moderates from their ranks has left only reactionary fervor; moving the ground on which compromises can be forged with Democrats further and further rightward.

This conservative stubbornness contrasts sharply with the more inclusive, common-ground seeking White House.  Throughout his presidency, Obama has continually reached across the isle with olive branches, only to witness Republicans subsequently snap them in half.  He has particularly made a habit of squandering bargaining-power for the foolish notion of somehow currying favor with the right.  Well it takes two to tango; and whether he genuinely wanted bipartisanship or was simply playing to independent voters, it doesn't change the fact that the other side his zero interest in working with him.  Take the much-maligned American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the "Stimulus;" the bill already contained hundreds of billions in tax cuts before Republicans even got the chance to demand them!  Despite this, they have spent the last two years railing against the package; though this hasn't prevented them from gladly accepting stimulus funds for their budget-challenged states and districts.

Some would argue that one should never compromise on important principals, and thus congressional Republicans are right in refusing to cooperate with a socialist (gasp!) like the President.  But for a party that recently ran on a slogan of "Country First," it seems more than a little hypocritical to flatly state that making Obama a one-term president is the GOP's number one priority, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell recently did.  Why pass legislation to revive the economy when an economic recovery aids Obama's reelection chances?

Let's hope the tenor of the President's "jobs speech" last week is a signal that he is through being the nice guy, but will instead have the sense of urgency to start being the more fiery and combative leader these extraordinary times demand.