The Republicans were successful in filibustering the energy bill (including needed increases in fuel efficiency standards for cars) over their opposition to increased taxes for oil companies.
Democrats were forced to remove the $21.8 billion tax package including billions of dollars in tax increases on the biggest oil companies when they fell one vote short of ending the filibuster.
Putting aside the most recent victory of the oil lobby, a more relevant point is raised by the vote. How come the Republicans in minority can do so much more than the Democrats in majority? Specifically, the Democrats have refused to filibuster key issues on issues such as the Alito nomination or the torture matter. It seems strange that taxes are sufficient matters to stop all business but not the torture of suspects or the unlawful surveillance by the Administration.
For a prior column, click here
For the full story, here
Inertia?
One of the things that the Reps are good at and the Dems are terrible at is organization. They are in disarray.
The Reps have a well oiled machine when it comes to: 1) organizing votes; 2) selling their message in the media; 3) and getting the job done.
But Professor, part of the deal with the Reps is that they have a President who seems to be taking the Neustadt model to heart – and does a pretty good job of it too.
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And they wonder why only 22 percent of the public approve of Congress. If they simply acted on principle and forgot the politics, they would likely be both more principled and more popular.
And lets not forget the fact that Bush has mastered the so-called “Hidden Hand Presidency”.
People accuse Bush of being dumb and inept. If he is inept, why is he getting all that he wants and seems to be out foxing all the rest of his opponents?
On another note: WHERE DID THE DEMOCRATS GET JOHN KERRY FROM?
I mean really….
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The George W. Bush presidency has his name on it but that’s about all
- because he has been from the start, and continues to be, more often than not, INEPT with a Capitol “I”.
And when he’s not doing that, he’s in Crawford!
It is no secret, even within the closed circle of the Bush family, itself, including and not limited to, longtime supporters of “Bush 41″, ie James Baker et al, that Dubya was never considered the brightest bulb in the room and who has also, either by default, and/or, regardless, otherwise, screwed things up, so much, that even they, it is feared, can’t fix it for him – this time.
John Kerry would have been a WAY better President than Bush.
Unfortunately, the message that “George Bush is an idiot”, while so very true, is not a platform on which to run.
I would love to have seen Al Gore run again, then, as I would now.