Freedom of Choice: Carrot, Stick, or Cattle Prod

Much has been said about creating a Bi-Partisan relationship in Congress. During the campaign I heard so much talk about “reaching across the aisle” I thought I would get ill. Like so much that is said during campaigns bipartisan, smartisan. It is history now.

Today, Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the newest Supreme Court justice. The vote was 68 Yeas to 31 Nays. Nine (9) of the Yeas were from Republican Senators. The Democrat Senators marched in lockstep with 100% voting for Sotomayor. Ted Kennedy did not vote. Now I know what the word “bipartisan” means. It means when republicans vote with the democratic controlled congress. It is similar to a one way street. Notice that there was not one democratic dissenter in the bunch. I was going to say how strange it is but I think “scary” is a better word.

Mr. Obama is all the time summoning democrats to the Whitehouse. Sometimes billed as a luncheon but we all know it is to keep the Dems in order. It must be a wonderful meal because afterwards they return all energized in renewed efforts, the phones all a buzz. In the first days, Obama invited republicans but it seems that has grown out of fashion. I suspect their dietary requirements were too difficult.

The hot potato in congress these days is Health Care Reform. For awhile there was talk of the need for a “Bipartisan” bill but that has fallen away. Apparently, there is so much on the democrat’s agendas to pack into this bill that now some of the democrats are not so sure about this reform. They call these democrats “Blue Dog” democrats. These are democrats who may not get reelected if the people at home find out that they voted for something unpopular. Even the rest of the Democratic Party is having difficulty with how to craft this bill. To them it is like another lunch, this time at KFC. The tax payers are picking up the check. Some prefer mild and others spicy. Then of course there are the arguments over all the side orders. So many choices, so little time.

Senator Reid has come up with a plan to get Health Care through the senate without a single republican vote and not needing all the Dems either. It is basically a legislative way to fund something that matters very much to a few and well the rest can just lump it. That way no one has to reach across the aisle.

Actually, now the Obama administration doesn’t necessarily want nor need politicians or the people to be happy with his governing. Now, Obama just wants Americans to tell (rat out) on their friends and neighbors who disagree. You can just email the Whitehouse and report the dissenters and they will be invited to the Whitehouse for a beer. Actually, that is not true. You don’t get a beer. You get an audit from the IRS and every other agency of the government probes every orifice of your body. Oops. Now I said something you can report.