tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499771266402854669.post6933282462786258488..comments2024-02-08T01:44:24.272-05:00Comments on ModeratePoli: Is this the worst Congressional leadership ever?ModeratePolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01721945380057992971noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499771266402854669.post-76953443890817253932014-10-16T00:30:11.439-04:002014-10-16T00:30:11.439-04:00@dangerous, I don't find your argument convinc...@dangerous, I don't find your argument convincing. The GOP are better at dirty pool (people always think the other side is better at heaving dirt), so the Dems should learn to get as down and dirty as the GOP. That seems to be your idea. <br /><br />How has that worked? Not well from what I've seen. I'm not saying that the Dems should play nice, but they aren't finding effective ways to handle it. <br /><br />Here's an idea that I haven't seen them try: let the GOP propose a few (just a few) of their poison pill amendments, and go whole hog on showing why it's a poison pill. Sunlight is supposed to be the best disinfectant, and it certainly makes the dirt highly visible, so use it.<br /><br />I'm amazed we don't have tons of commercials that say "This is the junk and lies my opponent has said about me. Can you believe this (increduously)? I don't need to lie, but he does." Very straightforward. <br /><br />However, honesty cuts both ways, and politicians turn themselves into liars if they pretend one thing and do another. For example, Obama said he wanted to use a scalpel on the budget, and never wielded it--never said what targeted cuts should be made. So, did he really want to make targeted cuts? Of course not. That's pretty damn clear, and he handled that ammo to his opponents. <br /><br />So my take on being a politician would be: 1) Use all the ammo you opponents provide on themselves. 2) Be damned careful not to provide ammo on yourself by picking your causes and policies carefully and with your eye on the greater good. That's always the best defense. ModeratePolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01721945380057992971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499771266402854669.post-2326253506648070632014-10-14T12:28:37.424-04:002014-10-14T12:28:37.424-04:00I think we've both been around long enough to ...I think we've both been around long enough to know it wasn't always like this. We have the video.<br /><br />The REPUBLICANS made politics a zero-sum game, because they were better at it when they invited it and remain way better than the Dems at it. The Dems play ham-handedly because they still recognize hypocrisy as a political sin. Today's GOP doesn't, so McConnell can, without a hint of uncertainly, proclaim that Obamacare should be killed but his state can keep it and nothing will change. Of course, he knows better but doesn't care.<br /><br />Meanwhile, his opponent Ms. Grimes, is in a defensive crouch refused to admit she's a loyal Democrat who voted for Obama because she desperately wants to win the GOP attack machine has turned Obama into a villain, despite an improving economy and lower gas prices.<br /><br />McConnell has gained the vilification of a successful president -- aided by latest racism and general distrust of minorities in a large segment of the electorate -- to help his party first reclaim the House and probably the Senate despite blocking every effort by the Dems to fix problems. Then the GOP blames Obama for all problems, real or not, for more political advantage.<br /><br />And you're comparing that cynical, anti-American GOP dogma to Harry Reid blocking votes on bogus amendments that the GOP won't even vote for in the end? Those amendments are poison pills meant to sound good in campaigns, and fool moderates like YOU, into thinking they actually add something positive to legislation that the GOP will vote on block AGAINST anyway.<br /><br />So Reid and the Dems gain nothing, but they don't lose anything by preventing the GOP from having a soapbox from which they will spew falsehoods.<br /><br />Watch what happens when the GOP takes the Senate. They will use every opportunity to position their presidential nominee to win, whether it is good for the country or not.Dangerousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499771266402854669.post-19615543838113047032014-10-13T16:50:02.932-04:002014-10-13T16:50:02.932-04:00@Dangerous, I don't think it was always so rut...@Dangerous, I don't think it was always so ruthless. So I have to ask--how did it get this way? What does this actually accomplish? I can see that it's popular with the diehards in your own party, but does it win you more support overall? <br /><br />So if you think it's better strategy to be as tough as possible, tell me specifically the benefits. What has McConnell gained for the GOP? What has Reid gained for the Dems? I agree that Reid was correct to blow up the filibuster for appointments, but stopping amendments--what's the gain there?ModeratePolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01721945380057992971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499771266402854669.post-14480664209605029532014-10-13T16:10:12.424-04:002014-10-13T16:10:12.424-04:00These are politicians so you are either surprised ...These are politicians so you are either surprised or disappointed that they seek partisan advantage? Perhaps you preferred the old way, when deals were struck to give individuals with power various forms of governmental largess. They hid them well, but such as-long-as-it-is-good-for-me-and-my-constituents is now passé and rightly so. It was ugly and expensive.<br /><br />I put the GOP ending the filibuster if they take the Senate at 95%. I put the Dems ending it if they hold it at 60%. If they showed some balls and did it before, they wouldn't be facing a much tougher environment. They could say "We Dems passed infrastructure, and immigration reform, and ... but the House Republicans blocked them!!"<br /><br />Boehner stinks because he can't control his caucus's worst impulses. That's hurt the GOP but it's hardly an endorsement for Boehner. When left with no choice but folding, he folds.<br /><br />Reid also sucks, but for a completely different reason. He waited to long to realize the GOP minority didn't care about "compromise", only obstruction and laying the blame to retake the Senate. Obama too. Why should they allow the GOP to engage in their nonsense without a real compromise in the end? The GOP demand concessions, then vote against the compromise bill so they can continue to claim they were against it. So should the Dems give them stuff without getting votes in return? I don't think so.<br /><br />You're very free when spending other parties' negotiating leverage, MP. Assume that the opposing party are your mortal enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy you, then decide if how they are behaving makes sense or not. As a "moderate" you want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. If actually faced with making decisions in their shoes, however, or against them, you'd get rolled. In politics, the most ruthless party usually wins.Dangerousnoreply@blogger.com