For various reasons I have taken most of this past semester off from Blogging. I'm not positive I want to dive back into the deep end of the pool. But we'll dabble a little during this "downtime" and see how it goes.
I've been puzzled by the way the media and the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress have avoided challenging Republicans on some rather outlandish demands they have made every since they retook the House of Representatives a year ago and retain their stranglehold on the Senate by using Senate rules to insist on super majorities in that chamber. It got me thinking if I could find analogies that would highlight this in different ways. Here's the first effort.
1. Analogy: for those who signed onto Grover Norquist’s “Pledge”.
It’s like the Republican football team takes the field and at the coin toss declares to the referees (media?) that they will only play if everyone agrees that their end of the field, from the 30 yr. line, through the “Red Zone” and their goal line and end zone are all off-limits. They wish to play only from the 30 yr. line to the other end of the field. On any occasion where play penetrates their imaginary new goal, even though it’s not the actual goalline, they will leave the playing field (mostly by invoking Senate filibusters and “super-majority” requirements) until the situation is rectified.
What’s incredible is that the opposing team (Democrats) would agree to continue playing, to give in to these demands.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
It strikes me this stratagem is akin to trying a case in the media: By making outlandish claims to incite public perception in order to pressure an outcome where no actual inherency exists to accomplish their goals. Interestingly enough I wonder, what have the Republicans claimed against the Dems in terms of not reaching across the aisle or non-bi-partisanship? But i guess to even attempt the same media dogfight would be for the Dems to lower themselves to the Republicans level, and give credit/energy to the misguided efforts.
Well, the success of the Republican strategy to date has allowed them to saddle Obama and the Democrats with the label of "failure" when it comes to solving the immense problems the Republicans themselves created and left for the new president in january, 2009. The unemployment rate remains much higher than that which any president has ever overcome to get reelected. Not because Democrats haven't offered solutions. But every one has died at the hands of the Republican Refuseniks. How the Republicans can then have the gall to stand before the country and complain about the failed economic policies of the current administration is supremely depressing.
Post a Comment