McCain: This is a Joke

John Sidney McCain, perhaps the best candidate to run for the Presidency in 20 years, is blasting the attempts to force a stimulus package through the Congress. McCain has been at the forefront of bipartisanship, even if it means pissing off his own party and donor base. However, on this one, he's not playing ball with what he considers a gag:

McCain also discussed the stimulus package negotiations, which he described as the antithesis of bipartisanship, and mocked the notion that "change" had come to Washington with the recent election.

McCain, like usual, is exactly right. He realizes that much of the talk during the 2008 Campaign was simple sloganeering, and that using the stimulus as a wedge issue is not only not a change, but is detrimental to our political process.

By using this as his first major test, President Obama has set the tone for the next year: play ball or play by yourself. While Nancy Pelosi may be pushing this harder, the President is not taking any pains to push for a bipartisan bill.

If the Democrats do wind up reaching sixty seats in the Senate, forget about all of the lofty talk of bipartisanship. There will be one party in control, and just one party which matters. Then we'll see if change is just a slogan.

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Let's Forget About That Whole "Bipartisan" Thing

One thing that the President repeatedly stated while running for his office was that he would work in a bipartisan manner. This came despite any major bipartisan achievements in the US Senate. This also came after he was one of the most partisan hacks and left-wing politicians in the entire legislative branch.

However, it appears that the President's promises of bipartisanship may be dead, not even a month into him taking office. This takes place as he is looking for a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, effectively making the Congress a one-party rule.

And now at least one opinionist of the Democrats is stating that the President may be overreaching in his efforts:

This may be true, but it creates a problem. If achieving bipartisanship takes priority over the actual content of policy, then Republicans are handed a powerful weapon. In theory, they can keep moving the bipartisan bar indefinitely. And each concession to their sensibilities threatens solidarity in the president's own camp.

The events of the last week and of the coming month may show that those campaign promises were nothing more than sweet nectar for the American people to elect one of the most inexperienced, least accomplished, and most hyperpartisan hacks in the history of the Republic.

Well, it is change, isn't it?

Bush: Bipartisan to the End

George W. Bush has been called a lot of things. But one of the things that he hasn't been called often is bipartisan. Funny, you think? But if you look at his record, he actually has been very good on this point.

* Bush worked with Democrats to push through Texas education reform.
* Bush worked with Democrats on a Democratic plan to push through U.S. educational reform.
* Bush partnered with Democrats to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda.
* Bush partnered with Democrats to pass the Iraq War resolution. The Senate version of the bill was introduced by a Democrat and in both Chambers of Congress, Democrats flocked to the bill.
* The military under the Bush Administration exposed the abuses at Abu Gharaib.
* Bush has been one of the most pro-environmental Presidents in our history. He has set aside massive acreage for conservation, including the largest tract in American history. ANWR was not drilled in (unfortunately) and Bush was willing to work with Dems to help our environment.
* Bush attempted to work with Dems for Social Security reform.
* Bush helped in the process of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.
* Bush established a bipartisan foreign policy regarding Iran and Syria.
* Bush has worked overtime to ensure a good transition to Obama's administration. This despite the talk of Bush remaining in power through an emergency declaration.

George W. Bush is treated like a clown and a charlatan today. When history looks back on what he's done and the things that he has had to put up with, he will be given a kinder review.

John McCain's Legacy

It may be a bit early to write about what we're all going to think of John McCain, but I think that I have a bit of the picture.

McCain will be remembered as the one Republican that many Democrats said that they'd vote for. Some did (Joe C.) and far more decided that party actually did matter more than policy or character.

McCain was remembered as the guy sunk by Karl Rove's tactics. However, for some reason folks in the media decried his attacks on Barack Obama as the same as Rove's, even though McCain's were factually based.

McCain not only believed in the righteousness of the Iraq War, but was willing to allow two of his sons to join the military. This, and McCain himself visited eight times, building a solid relationship with Nouri al-Maliki and the Iraqi government. Many times McCain said that he would rather win a war than a political campaign. By touting the successful surge strategy, the Iraq war is won. If the war was on the front pages, foreign policy would have been a bigger issue, and Obama's inexperience and naiveté would have shown even brighter. Instead, McCain put the country first, and pioneered the strategy that is saving lives.

McCain was everything people said they wanted in a President. He was affable, grouchy when he needed to be, bipartisan, a war hero, and experienced. He stood up to his own party when he needed to and foreign tyrants when others wouldn't.

John McCain is a hero that comes along once a generation. He will be remembered as such.

But we wanted Change at any cost.