Democrats united to oppose Bush Initiatives
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From The Washington Post:
Democrats Are United in Plans To Block Top Bush Initiatives
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 10, 2005; Page A01
As President Bush prepares for his second term, Democrats in Washington and around the country are organizing for a year of confrontation and resistance, saying they are determined to block Bush's major initiatives and thereby deny him the mandate he has claimed from his reelection victory last November.
The Democrats' mood and posture represent a contrast to that of four years ago, after Bush's disputed victory over Al Gore. Then, despite anger and bitterness over how the 2000 election ended, Democrats were tentative and initially open to Bush's calls for bipartisan cooperation. Today, despite Bush's clear win over Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Democrats across the ideological spectrum say they are united in their desire to fight.
In part that mood reflects the reality that Democrats are even more of a minority party than they were when Bush was sworn in four years ago, their ranks smaller in both the House and Senate and their ability to influence the legislative agenda sharply diminished.
But the unity of purpose also underscores a hardening of attitudes among Democrats -- from elected officials and strategists to grass-roots activists and party constituencies -- that Bush's domestic agenda presents opportunities to divide the GOP, break apart Bush's winning coalition and recapture some of the voters who supported Bush last fall.
Democrats said they see opportunities on Social Security, where Bush wants to partially privatize the system by allowing younger workers to divert payroll taxes to personal accounts; judicial appointments, where both sides are gearing up for a clash over a possible Supreme Court vacancy; and revising the tax code. Bush may find his best chance to win Democratic votes for his call to limit medical malpractice lawsuits.
Bush has opened the year with calls for bipartisanship, telling newly elected members of Congress last week that he hoped to work across party lines to solve the country's problems. Democrats, however, appear to have little interest in building bridges to the White House, saying they do not believe Bush is genuinely interested in cooperation or compromise with the opposition.
"The president's idea of bipartisanship is, 'Here's what I want to do, join me,' " said Rep. Robert Menendez (N.J.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. "It isn't about negotiating. It isn't about compromise. It's almost this belief that they have the monopoly on what's best for the country."
Democrats point to Bush's decision to renominate a group of conservative judicial candidates who had been blocked by Democratic opposition during his first term as evidence that he will aggressively push an ideological agenda in his second term.
... more at linked article
So, the article states the obvious. The Democrats really don't want to to work together, or at least not with Republicans. They want to work with each other, to obstruct any progress they possibly can.
So, it seems we have it well documented that the Democrats are headed for 4 more years of delay and obstruct, while they continue to be painted in the public as the do-nothing party. 2 years from now, in the next mid-term elections, they will likely see more seats lost, and far more in 2008.
Will they be smart enough to look back at the lost opportunities they've had and realize their mistakes. Nah, couldn't possibly happen....
Oh.... the article continues on (in the print edition) with the jump line: Democrats See Bush Agenda as Opportunity to Divide GOP. Again, that would seem to be a brilliant strategy except for one thing - the GOP needs only stay as united as the Democrats to get anything done, and any accomplishments beat the heck outta no accomplishments.
Seriously, the Democrats may have a glimmer of hope, if they can somehow drive a wedge between the moderates and the conservatives within the GOP, but given the stakes for failure, the GOP is not likely to just self destruct in this area.
Democrats Are United in Plans To Block Top Bush Initiatives
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 10, 2005; Page A01
As President Bush prepares for his second term, Democrats in Washington and around the country are organizing for a year of confrontation and resistance, saying they are determined to block Bush's major initiatives and thereby deny him the mandate he has claimed from his reelection victory last November.
The Democrats' mood and posture represent a contrast to that of four years ago, after Bush's disputed victory over Al Gore. Then, despite anger and bitterness over how the 2000 election ended, Democrats were tentative and initially open to Bush's calls for bipartisan cooperation. Today, despite Bush's clear win over Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Democrats across the ideological spectrum say they are united in their desire to fight.
In part that mood reflects the reality that Democrats are even more of a minority party than they were when Bush was sworn in four years ago, their ranks smaller in both the House and Senate and their ability to influence the legislative agenda sharply diminished.
But the unity of purpose also underscores a hardening of attitudes among Democrats -- from elected officials and strategists to grass-roots activists and party constituencies -- that Bush's domestic agenda presents opportunities to divide the GOP, break apart Bush's winning coalition and recapture some of the voters who supported Bush last fall.
Democrats said they see opportunities on Social Security, where Bush wants to partially privatize the system by allowing younger workers to divert payroll taxes to personal accounts; judicial appointments, where both sides are gearing up for a clash over a possible Supreme Court vacancy; and revising the tax code. Bush may find his best chance to win Democratic votes for his call to limit medical malpractice lawsuits.
Bush has opened the year with calls for bipartisanship, telling newly elected members of Congress last week that he hoped to work across party lines to solve the country's problems. Democrats, however, appear to have little interest in building bridges to the White House, saying they do not believe Bush is genuinely interested in cooperation or compromise with the opposition.
"The president's idea of bipartisanship is, 'Here's what I want to do, join me,' " said Rep. Robert Menendez (N.J.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. "It isn't about negotiating. It isn't about compromise. It's almost this belief that they have the monopoly on what's best for the country."
Democrats point to Bush's decision to renominate a group of conservative judicial candidates who had been blocked by Democratic opposition during his first term as evidence that he will aggressively push an ideological agenda in his second term.
... more at linked article
So, the article states the obvious. The Democrats really don't want to to work together, or at least not with Republicans. They want to work with each other, to obstruct any progress they possibly can.
So, it seems we have it well documented that the Democrats are headed for 4 more years of delay and obstruct, while they continue to be painted in the public as the do-nothing party. 2 years from now, in the next mid-term elections, they will likely see more seats lost, and far more in 2008.
Will they be smart enough to look back at the lost opportunities they've had and realize their mistakes. Nah, couldn't possibly happen....
Oh.... the article continues on (in the print edition) with the jump line: Democrats See Bush Agenda as Opportunity to Divide GOP. Again, that would seem to be a brilliant strategy except for one thing - the GOP needs only stay as united as the Democrats to get anything done, and any accomplishments beat the heck outta no accomplishments.
Seriously, the Democrats may have a glimmer of hope, if they can somehow drive a wedge between the moderates and the conservatives within the GOP, but given the stakes for failure, the GOP is not likely to just self destruct in this area.