Guard Your Glass, Dems

Rohypnol
Thank you for your simile, Grover Norquist. Bipartisanship is like Date rape. Democrats can now apply this kind of thinking to the new situation in Washington.Curious how the Preznit wants to "bury the hatchet" and encourage bipartisanship now that Democrats will assume control of all committees and the legislative agenda. Republicans, in developing their Contract for America under Gingrich and Delay, tightened their control so much that Dems were not given a role at all in much law making or committee work, and were forced to constantly threaten the filibuster to be heard at all. Democrats were given huge amounts of legislation that they never were given the opportunity to read to vote upon as quickly as possible. In fact, the Republicans took power in '94 and did not rest until they nearly impeached the President while issuing thousands of subpoenas and spending millions on counterfeit investigations like Travelgate. Of course, the Democrats have been admonished that they shouldn't do anything like that. That wouldn't be good, the Repugs say - do as I say, not as I have done.

Try as I might to come up with an instance of bipartisanship from the President, I cannot. Bloggers have looked back to No Child Left Behind and Bush's broken promises to Ted Kennedy for an illusory semblance of cooperation. After that there's nothing at all, and even legislation from his own party has been hedged upon by nearly 800 "signing statements." Last week he was still striping the Dems together, as aiding and excusing terrorists as he has done so often. With Bush, Cheney, and Rove it was always something more than a dissenting opinion among equals on the merits of an issue; it was a personal attack on Dems as America haters, usually pointing to a strawman who didn't really exist. Also last week, he cynically admitted that he sometimes has to lie, as he did about Rumsfeld's resignation. Isn't obvious that if the Republicans had done better in the election, Rumsfeld would still be Sec of D ? A glint of reality has entered the Preznit's consciousness ; he has learned that his war policy has failed a national referendum in this election.

I think it's important for the President and Republicans to be treated exactly the way they treated the "Democrat" Party. And Mr. Bush has certainly indicated how important he really thinks bipartisanship is - by attempting a lame duck escape on warrantless surveillance and Bolton's nomination.

Now that so many of their ideas and so much corrupt behavior has been rejected by the voters, Bush feels we should do what he never did, work together with the other party and carry out his program anyway. We've learned that his idea of "bipartisanship" is simply to do what he wants. Infinite hypocrisy. I say no chance: we need to do what is best for all of the people.

Update: Lincoln Chafee says he will block Bolton's nomination. How fitting.

Bush's Idea of Bipartisanship