President Bush, facing a Democratic-controlled Congress for the first time, is urging lawmakers to work with his administration and warning that "political statements" in the form of legislation would result in a stalemate.
"Together, we have a chance to serve the American people by solving the complex problems that many don't expect us to tackle, let alone solve, in the partisan environment of today's Washington," Bush wrote in a guest column for The Wall Street Journal posted on the newspaper's Web site Tuesday night.
"To do that, however, we can't play politics as usual," he said. "Democrats will control the House and Senate, and therefore we share the responsibility for what we achieve."
....
"If the Congress chooses to pass bills that are simply political statements, they will have chosen stalemate," Bush wrote. "If a different approach is taken, the next two years can be fruitful ones for our nation. We can show the American people that Republicans and Democrats can come together to find ways to help make America a more secure, prosperous and hopeful society."
I believe what he's trying to say is that legislation should not be used to further the political agenda of one party or another.
I don't think anyone will fail to notice the irony of that statement. I'm not going to speculate on what made him make such a comment, but the pictured Whaaaaaaaambulance fits.
Yeah, I agree . . . that comment from the White House sounds pretty whiny. BUT. The way the Dems are reportedly about to throw the entire idea of bipartisanship just shows that they are just as much a bunch of dirtbags as the republicans were. Seriously - you've got the majority, why talk about using house rules to keep the GOP from stopping your "100 hour legislative march" or whatever partisan stupidity you're planning.
Is it understandable, after 12 years out of power? I suppose. Does it further cement my belief that Nancy Pelosi and co are complete assholes? Yes. Further proof that both our main line political parties are completely broken and have the collective maturity of a two year old? Definitely.
Oh, I don't know...because they have six years of utter disaster to fix in less than two years? It's a task that's probably not going to be possible at all, it's certainly not going to go anywhere if they let the Republicans stonewall like they're almost certain to. And I didn't vote Democrat just for them to maintain the (royally fucked up) status quo, thank you very much.
can we have one political thread without a libertarian whining about "main line political parties" being "broken?" good lord. we can't even get a constructive grievance.
"To do that, however, we can't play politics as usual," he said. "Democrats will control the House and Senate, and therefore we share the responsibility for what we achieve."
Why does that passage translate, in my mind, like "Anything you guys in the Senate do that helps this country, I'll be sure to take credit for."?
Dead_Ringer
I'm lost
September 2004
JAN 02, 2007 07:17 PM