G.O.P. means Grand Obstructionist Party (Harry Reid, McCain, Huckabee)

[tigerlily]

Here are some of the issues not being dealt with while the House wastes in times on non binding bills; i.e, whether Christmas needs to be defended.
Bills Pending in Congress:
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/20...2cong.web.html

Here's the reason why nothing is being accomplished. I remember when the dems threatened to filibuster a judicial nominee and the "gang of 12", six moderates from each party, forestalled the filibuster. Where are they now? I can't believe the repubs had the nerve to call the dems "obstructionists". Gordon Smith was a gang of 12 worried about reelection. The repubs usually let him vote last so he'll look like a moderate.
Clips:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/wa...gewanted=print

... it was more than a little telling when Mr. McConnell laid down his mark in the current budget fight on Tuesday, informing the Capitol Hill press corps that he was ready to offer Democrats a deal, $70 billion in war financing with no strings attached and a total budget identical to President Bush’s proposal.
...

Mr. McConnell and his fellow Republicans are playing such tight defense, blocking nearly every bill proposed by the slim Democratic majority that they are increasingly able to dictate what they want, much to the dismay of the majority leader, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, and frustrated Democrats in the House.

In fact, the Senate Republicans are so accustomed to blocking measures that when the Democrats finally agreed last week to their demands on a bill to repair the alternative minimum tax, the Republicans still objected, briefly blocking the version of the bill that they wanted before scrambling to approve it later.

[Mod cut:Copyright]

[jdiddy]

The fact that so few people know about this demonstrates how inneffective and pathetic Democrats are.

[ParkTwain]

“I think we are being consistent here against higher taxes, consistently against greater regulation, consistently against creating new causes of action in bill after bill after bill,” Mr. McConnell said. “It’s a positive message of our vision of America.


This approach has worked really well for the country during the Dubya Administration: Enron, mortgage meltdown, increasing pollution from electric power plants, failures of care at Veterans hospitals, increasing outsourcing to GOP crony companies (Blackwater, etc.), no policy to transition away from dependence on imported oil.


Re: GOP filibusters:
http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne...buster_509.htm

[Yeledaf]

Sour grapes. And at Christmas!

Coal in every blue-stocking.

[katzenfreund]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, coal in ever red stocking for sticking us with this failure and disgrace for 8 years!

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by katzenfreund

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, coal in ever red stocking for sticking us with this failure and disgrace for 8 years!

Coal for everybody, then? No fun in that.

And no fair. At least you had your dreidl.

[ontheroad]

I'm more inclined to agree with my friend, katzenfreund, about the empty coffers and the lack of coal in many folks pockets.

It is difficult at this juncture to really understand and appreciate where to place blame, or if it is blame we need to place.

As a country we have become so divided, and so divisive that it actually seems as if we are working against ourselves, and not the other (whoever that may be).

Is there no such thing any more of non-partisan, coalition building in DC and in our communities?

[burdell]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

Coal for everybody, then? No fun in that.

And no fair. At least you had your dreidl.

Hey! We have the largest coal reserves in the world, at least we're not dependent on foreign coal. Pass them black rocks. Warm and toasty holidays for everyone!

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

I'm more inclined to agree with my friend, katzenfreund, about the empty coffers and the lack of coal in many folks pockets.

It is difficult at this juncture to really understand and appreciate where to place blame, or if it is blame we need to place.

As a country we have become so divided, and so divisive that it actually seems as if we are working against ourselves, and not the other (whoever that may be).

Is there no such thing any more of non-partisan, coalition building in DC and in our communities?

I used to think that John McCain and Joe Lieberman might have made a feasible fusion ticket at the federal level. Not any more.

Our only hope now is to find an issue that unites us, rather than trying to use personalities. Though, against my better judgement, I still have hope for Obama and/or Huckabee...

[ontheroad]

It is still too early to tell, but in order for some sort of serious change to take place, it needs to start and needs to be visible now. If any of the candidates on either side, would come up to plate and speak directly to the serious divisions in our country, I would rally to them regardless of some of the other issues I hold dear.

We are a house divided!