Friday, October 07, 2011

The Lesson Is: Compromise With Democrats Doesn't Work

Remember the so-called nuclear option, which Senate Republicans threatened to use 6 years ago? This option, and those who suggested it, were derided as un-American, and a compromise saved the Republic. Fat lot of good that compromise did for Republicans:
In a shocking development Thursday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) triggered a rarely used procedural option informally called the “nuclear option” to change the Senate rules.

Reid and 50 members of his caucus voted to change Senate rules unilaterally to prevent Republicans from forcing votes on uncomfortable amendments after the chamber has voted to move to final passage of a bill...

Republicans had considered using Reid’s maneuver, dubbed the “nuclear option,” in 2005 to change Senate rules to prohibit the filibuster of judicial nominees. Democrats decried the plan under consideration by then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) as a bomb that would decimate Senate traditions.

That crisis was resolved by a bipartisan agreement forged by 14 rank-and-file senators known as the Gang of 14.
Update: ‘I Pray To God’ Democrats Do Not Do This When We Have Power.--Joe Biden

7 comments:

mmazenko said...

GOP candidates, would you accept a deal for $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in revenue increases in order to balance the budget and pay down the debt?

No? None of you? Not one? Never? Not willing to compromise and put it on the table?

Oh, OK. That's leadership.

Darren said...

Red herring. Non sequitur.

allen (in Michigan) said...

GOP candidates, would you accept a deal for an immediate $1 tax increase that'll get you a promise of $10 in spending cuts that'll never materialize?

No? None of you? Not one? Not one of you is willing to be accept the unenforceable promise of folks who've lied to you repeatedly in the past?

Oh, OK. That's leadership.

mmazenko said...

No, an example that neither party is willing to compromise. Don't play holier than thou.

KauaiMark said...

"...the public sector continues to lose jobs—about 600K since the recovery began"

Best news I've heard in a long while
From: http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2011/10/todays-employment-report.html

Darren said...

I remember when President Bush tried to compromise regarding reforming social security; I also remember what that attempt at compromise got him.

allen (in Michigan) said...

We're in the situation we're in because one party was repeatedly willing to compromise with people who have no sense of responsibility, no concept of honesty and become upset when confronted with the fact that the world doesn't revolve around them, and by extension, the people they represent.

You want compromise? Here's my idea of compromise: $10 of spending cuts for each $1 of tax decreases.

I'd really prefer $5 of tax decreases for each $10 of spending cuts but I'm a reasonable person.