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This blog is the work of an educated civilian, not of an expert in the fields discussed.

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Republicans Act Like Spoiled Children Update

Congressional Republicans, hoping to prevent the president from filling key government posts with qualified officials, decided earlier this year to simply end recesses, mandating pro-forma sessions every third day that would prevent vacancies from being filled.
Senate Republicans are assholes who block such officials because they don't like the democratically passed agencies involved or the person in power. The already undemocratic Senate not undemocratic enough, this is the favored approach, even when tax cuts are involved.

"Everyone" isn't the same here.* The problem is not simply "the government" and the fact (in part since the other side actually cares about governing so can't simply play chicken) not enough is done in response is not a sign that the Democrats are just not worth supporting. Yes, Democrats are enablers, either Blue Dogs or simply loving the power obtained by not putting in even mild checks on filibusters that work when used as a limited device to promote collegiality and show how much a certain matter is important to some faction, leading to compromise. But, enough is enough. And, one side is worse. A blue dog type and a conservative said as much in The Broken Branch right before the Dems gained control of Congress back. 

Some simply won't admit it, no more will some sane seeming sorts on the left will stop saying "nothing" was done worth talking about when Obama and the Dems were in power over the last three years. This, the specter of being forced to eat broccoli and the evil sorts running the Mets (nothing they do is right, everything is wrong, the team sucks etc. etc. etc.) is the type of thing that makes me want to scream. We need new over the top stereotypes. The old ones are getting old.

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*  Facts are facts, even if you don't like the players:

Consider this tidbit: cloture was invoked 63 times in 2009 and 2010, which isn’t just the most ever, it’s more than the sum total of instances from 1919 through 1982. That’s not a typo.
 If you like this sort of thing, fine, but cut the b.s. that nothing novel is going on, citing some favored example.  It is getting old.