The Washington climate recalls V-E Day in World War II: hours before the armistice, hordes of refugees streaming westward to the American zone with whatever they could carry to escape the oncoming Russians before the official deadline.
In the same way, Democrats are scrambling to salvage what they can in these last days, and the sight is just as saddening--the President and his wounded cadre struggling to pass legislation before le deluge of Tea Party naysayers.
Extension of Bush tax cuts, with whatever compromise can be reached, tops the list, but less obvious and ultimately more important for the nation's future is ratifying the New Start treaty on arms control with the Russians, now being held hostage by Sen. Jon Kyl simply to deal "a devastating blow to the president’s most tangible foreign policy achievement."
Administration officials, Steve Benen of the Washington Monthly reports, have "mapped out in detail how they're prepared to do exactly what he wants them to do. Even Jon Kyl, with his limited intellect, should be able to understand when someone says 'yes' to his demands...Kyl simply cares more about defeating a key priority for President Obama than advancing the nation's interests."
What we have here is government-by-spite, a regression to schoolyard taunting and bullying that foreshadows much worse to come.
President Obama tells Congressional Democrats he wants passage of the DREAM Act, providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who complete two years of college or military service, as "a down payment" on immigration reform.
In today's Washington, it may be the President who is dreaming.
Actually, Kyl's being quite thoughtful about this and has long-expressed concerns that have gone unaddressed . . . until now when suddenly it's pass START now now now. The world will implode if it's not done this minute. That treaty was signed in April, and it's only now that the WH is willing to even TALK to Kyl. He's been there for months, willing to talk, but nope, no joy. It's pretty to think that the Republicans are holding everything up, but that's not actually the case in this case.
ReplyDeleteIt is in others, though, definitely (and as you know, it makes me very happy that they have managed to stop BO's agenda as much as they have).
Bush tax cuts are going to remain in place, of course. All of them. And you're right, the DREAM Act is not happening.
Schoolyard bullying and taunting? oh dear, did you somehow miss Herr Pelosi striding through a group of protesters with an over-sized gavel waving in her hand and a giant, malignant grin spread across her face? That's the picture that lost so many dem seats, and now that she's back as minority leader, that's the picture that will lose them more in 2012.
It's unfortunate that your petulant man-child is such an awful person and resoundingly-awful, truly-embarrassing president, but the bitter bipartisanship in Washington comes straight from the Oval. Ask any democrat.