Criticism of Democrats' negotiations misses a bigger issue: Republicans' absence from governing

[babylonsister]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/10/21/criticism-democrats-negotiations-misses-bigger-issue-republicans-absence-governing/

Opinion: Criticism of Democrats’ negotiations misses a bigger issue: Republicans’ absence from governing
Opinion by Eugene Robinson
Columnist
Yesterday at 3:34 p.m. EDT


Nobody said life was fair, but this is ridiculous: Democrats are getting pilloried for struggling to do big and important things, while Republicans are being given a free pass for behaving like a horde of vandals.

This isn’t the way our government is supposed to work. Yes, the Democratic Party controls the White House and has the slimmest of majorities in the Senate and the House. But that doesn’t absolve Republicans from the duty to try to do what’s best for the country. It doesn’t give any of our elected representatives the right to simply ignore the work they were elected to do — and the GOP should be called out for putting political gamesmanship ahead of the nation’s well-being.

Wednesday’s vote by GOP senators to block debate — not passage, mind you, but mere debate — of watered-down legislation to guarantee basic voting rights is just the latest example. Securing universal access to the ballot box used to be a bipartisan cause. In blocking the bill, Republicans are “hurting their own constituents,” as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) noted Thursday. But apparently that doesn’t matter.

snip//

So Democrats are having the kinds of arguments among themselves that used to take place between the two parties — what new programs to start, how long those programs should last, how much to spend, how to pay for it all. Instead of participating in these important debates, Republicans are threatening to trigger a financial cataclysm by refusing to raise the federal debt ceiling. They have already tried this supremely irresponsible maneuver once, and they threaten to do it again in December.

And watch: When Democrats eventually do pass the spending packages and Biden signs them into law, Republicans will be quick to take credit for all the measures that are popular with the folks back home.

I am not happy that Sens. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) are blocking initiatives I believe are needed. But at least they are engaged in the process. The much bigger problem is that one of our two major parties — the GOP — is doing nothing but throwing rocks and bottles from the sidelines.

[abqtommy]

1. I keep writing that every reTHUG Fascist, in or out of government, needs to be

in jail. If we accomplish this many of our present and future problems will be solved.

[betsuni]

2. THANK YOU!

[CousinIT]

3. In 'Kill Switch' by Adam Jentleson, he says exactly that...GOP quit doing policy LONG ago.

Now they're about fear-mongering, culture wars, conspiracy theories and lies. No governing, policymaking, legislating (except to do things like suppress voting or gerrymandering).

So...like...DUH. The media now is catching on -- after decades of Republicans offering no ideas to voters and doing literally nothing for them, just ginning up culture wars and flat-earth proclamations.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

4. Several Republicans get elected after basically...

... promising to do nothing.

They keep going beyond the pale of Reagan's old quote about government*, yet their supporters keep electing those do-nothings.

* "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help."

About the only issue they seem to care about is defense spending, so I'd bind various domestic social programs to that if it's possible. "Looks like the military and police won't get funded then. That's a shame." (The amount of money this country continues to spend on the military, after we stockpiled enough nukes to vaporize anyone dumb enough to attack this country, has been crazy anyway.)

[notinkansas]

18. Au contraire.

Something they care about even more than military spending is cutting taxes on the uber wealthy.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

19. Ah, yes! You're correct! nt

[wryter2000]

28. That's the only thing they want to do

They don’t even appear to want to do anything “conservative,” like defund Planned Parenthood or outlaw abortion.

[JohnSJ]

5. Eugene Robinson has nailed it. Democrats are doing the people's business, while the only

thing the republicans seem to be doing is perpetuating the big lie, and trying to cover up the insurrection against out government.

In 2016 trump ran as a racist, bigot, and sexist, and unbelievably ended up in the White House.

The fact that the majority of republicans now openly embrace the trump doctrine, and much of the media’s analysis predict republican success in the 2022 midterms, does not bode well for the country’s future.

The midterms should not be underestimated, this is about whether the country wants to be governed by racists, bigots, and sexists, who want autocratic rule, or a democracy.

It is really that simple

[KS Toronado]

7. "media's analysis predict republican success in the 2022 midterms"

I believe a lot of MSM is owned & controlled by wealthy R oligarchs who want to keep Rs in power simply
because Rs lower taxes for them and Ds raise taxes on them. So they'll slant their political reporting
to benefit Rs because that new 1000 foot yacht is expensive & they feel left behind with only a 900 footer.
Truth be known....we're gonna slaughter them in the midterms...IMHO

[JohnSJ]

8. I hope so, because this isn't about taxes, it is about the survival of our democracy

[Joinfortmill]

16. Amen, take the news cycles with a grain of salt. People are pissed at GOP

[doc03]

6. The thing about Republicans if they held both the Congress and the Presidency

they vote in lock step and get things done whether we like it or not. Democrats get the Congress and the
Presidency and we get a couple Senators show boating and end up with nothing. That is going to lose the House
in 2022 and elect a Republican in 2024. I am very discouraged with what is going on the last couple months. I think if
the Republicans gain control again that will be the end of our country. Democrats have the power to at least
slow them down but they worry about the damn filibuster. Oh if the Republicans get control of the Senate they will
use the filibuster against us, "they will anyway"!

[Raven123]

9. Exactly. They stick together.

[Elessar Zappa]

26. They don't always stick together.

The ACA survived because a few Republican Senators voted NO on overturning it.

[Raven123]

10. Part of this was self inflicted

When the 2 separate Bills passed, Joe got out in front and optimistically stated he could get them through both The House and Senate. While he didn’t say they would be passed intact, last night’s CNN town hall revealed the huge concessions being made in the name of getting someone done. I agree with the need for concessions, but did anyone really believe this couldn’t have been done sooner? Did anyone believe ManCinema were going to cave? I wish I were a fly on the wall to hear what negotiating was taking place.

[DownriverDem]

11. I hear ya

repubs just want to ride it out so the voters put them back in power. Insane I know. repubs will do nothing to help we the people unless the southern border is all you care about.

[Jon King]

12. True, but Dems will be slaughtered in 2022 anyway.

The writing is on the wall, Biden and Dems approval rating among independent voters is terrible, a complete reversal from when he was first elected. Apparently these folks are so fluid that if they do not get what they want immediately, bam, switch back to the other party. Never mind the other party has zero ideas and does not even try to govern.

My hunch is Covid will seem mostly over so these independents will not 'need' Biden anymore. They will go back to the Repugs. 2022 will be ugly for Dems.

Passing what is perceived as a slim version of Build Back Better without anything big and bold, without free community college, without big climate change, with child tax credit tied to work.....is going to give Dems zero at the polls.

I see a loss in VA governor, huge losses in 2022 House, and the changes in voting rights and Repugs appointed to election boards means 2024 its all over.

But at least Manchin and Sinema can have another year of holding the world hostage...before they and the Dems lose every bit of power.

[Joinfortmill]

15. If they do, they can kiss their democracy goodbye.

[Jon King]

24. Sadly independents seem very short sighted.

They flip so quickly, they do not seem to see the bigger picture.

[Elessar Zappa]

27. Doom and gloom.

Blah, blah, blah.

[uponit7771]

32. Only 64% of democrats believe Voter Suppression is a problem (link)

[jaxexpat]

13. Take the rocks and bottles away from them.

Lawlessness must have consequences.

[Joinfortmill]

14. Right, where's Mitt Romney and Lisa Murkowski? Missing in action.

[spanone]

17. republicons no longer have any interest in governing. Their only goal is winning.

[Septua]

20. Lindsey Graham summed it up Nov 2020

“If Republicans don’t challenge and change the U.S. election system, there will never be another Republican president elected again,” Mr. Graham said on Sunday on Fox News.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/us/politics/lindsey-graham-georgia-trump-biden.html

The so-called "Republican" party has done nothing since Nov 2016 but bow to Trump and since Jan 2021, the single objective has been defeating the Biden administration agenda...

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/mcconnell-says-he-s-100-percent-focused-stopping-biden-s-n1266443

They just want to take control over the country...by hook or crook .

[Ford_Prefect]

21. Correction,: They are throwing Molotov Cocktails on democracy at every turn.

The much bigger problem is that one of our two major parties — the GOP — is doing nothing but throwing rocks and bottles from the sidelines.

It is quite clear they only want government to fail. They have no interest in constructive governance, nor any intention to perform the duties and responsibilities which come with elected office. They are engaged in destroying democracy and have become terrorists against Constitutional government.

The MSM lacks the capacity to tell this truth. Between compromised ownership, RW editorial policy, diminished perspective on the part of reporters, and simple greed for headlines they no longer reflect the content or the context of events.

[moondust]

22. I noticed. And it's not just "absence."

It's ongoing totalitarian GQP obstruction and sabotage of everything. Binary politics at its worst. Don't blame the victims.

[kimbutgar]

23. It pisses me off as a taxpayer thatI have to pay for repukes in congress who do not

Work for the American for theAmerican people.

I’d rather throw some money in the Ocean than give MTG a dime of my money!

[calimary]

25. Needs to be said.

Actually, needs to be SHOUTED and RELENTLESSLY REPEATED.

Messaging!


Messaging, Messaging, MESSAGING!!!

[Martin Eden]

29. R's and D's are held to different rules of accountability

When the R's successfully sabotage popular legislation that benefits the majority, the D's are blamed for the failure.

[elleng]

30. a horde of vandals.

[JudyM]

31. K&R