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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Reich Calls Republicans on Selfish Political Games

My lovely wife reminds me Robert Reich's intelligence and eloquence. A couple weeks ago he wrote a brief, pointed rejoinder to the ranting ratings-seekers of right-wing jabber who sparked waves of hate mail to Dr. Reich with their blatant misrepresentation of his position on jobs and the stimulus package. This week, Dr. Reich calls the Republicans on their obvious political gamesmanship on the stimulus package. He knows full well Republican opposition to the stimulus package isn't about distaste for deficit spending—"many of them happily voted for Bush spending and tax cuts that doubled the federal debt." Those no votes on the stimulus bill are all about 2010... and 2012:

Obama believes Republicans will eventually embrace bipartisanship. I hope he's right but I fear he's wrong. They want to take back Congress the way Newt Gingrich retook the House (and helped Republicans retake the Senate) in 1994 -- with hellfire and brimstone. Once in control of Congress, they'll be able to block Obama's big inititiaves on health care and the environment, stop any Supreme Court nominees, and set up their own candidate for the White House in 2012 [Rovert Reich, "Why Republicans Won't Support the Stimulus," Robert Reich's Blog, 2009.02.09].

The Republicans are playing to win. If Obama starts throwing elbows (and he's from Chicago, so you know he can), it will only be a practical response to the Republicans' desperate ploys to reverse the decline of their power.

5 comments:

  1. OK, how come the saintly, trustworthy, honest, above board Obama has buried health care reform in the stimulus package and not told anyone about it. I know he's just following Daschle's advice as per his book Critical, but it is totally deceptive, dishonest, and true political gamesmanship. Please explain this one away.

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  2. The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
    Thomas Jefferson
    To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
    Thomas Jefferson
    I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
    Thomas Jefferson
    It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
    Thomas Jefferson
    My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.
    Thomas Jefferson
    The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
    Thomas Jefferson

    Doesn't the party that Obama belongs to have Jefferson Day Dinner celebrations? Do they not KNOWwhat Jefferson said??

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  3. Obama's blind spot is his want / need to be liked. We need less a team of rivals than we need a leader. He has the right vision (except his economic non-reform); but it remains to be seen whether he can lead. On the other hand the republicants can lead but lack either any vision or the right vision, so we end up on the road to perdition.

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  4. So, sounds like everybody agrees with Reich's analysis, right? :-)

    Oh, and Obama's "want/need to be liked"—do you base all your politics on made-up psychoanalysis? What imaginary bird did you pull that feather from?

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  5. Of course the Republicans are playing to win! Who ever plays to lose?

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