Daily Archives: February 13, 2009

The “Stim”

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The final (probably) stimulus bill passed the House today with no Republicans votes, and it is expected to pass in the Senate this evening with three Republican votes. Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin write in The Politico that

Emboldened by his victory on the stimulus package — but chastened by the pothole-pocked road that got him there — -President Barack Obama and his aides are plunging ahead on a large and expensive agenda that virtually assures 2009 will be marked by intense partisan battles about the size and role of government.

OK, so the GOP does nothing but say no, so the bill will be passed without them. And since it’s clear they are not going to participate in government, as opposed to playing partisan games, the President and his team are going ahead and doing what they want to do, and the hell with the Republicans. There’s nothing to be gained by offering them concessions. But Allen and Martin say it’s the President and his team who will virtually assure future intense partisan battles. OK.

I’m hearing Rachel Maddow point to a Republican congresswoman who said she didn’t vote for the stimulus bill because it included improvement on mass transit infrastructure. Republicans hate mass transit. Mass transit is socialism, you know.

Meanwhile, Charles Mahtesian writes for The Politico that Republicans have been emboldened by Judd Gregg’s withdrawal from the Commerce Secretary nomination.

… the New Hampshire senator’s surprise decision to remove himself from consideration as President Barack Obama’s commerce secretary Thursday has provided the GOP with a new rallying cry, and a new hero against a foe who just a few weeks ago seemed almost unassailable.

Uh, as a “victory” Gregg’s flip flop doesn’t even qualify as symbolic or moral. It’s just odd. And I doubt the American people give a bleep. The Republicans in Congress are becoming a weird roll-playing cult. I bet they all have fantasy personae and cool costumes. They meet in basements and play a game in which they pretend to be legislators.

Eating Their Own (Friday the 13th)

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You probably heard that Sen. Judd Gregg withdrew his nomination as Commerce Secretary. You are probably happy about this. I know I am.

What’s going on? I think Andrew Sullivan is right. One, the Republican Party has declared total war on the Obama Administration. Never mind that Americans are suffering. Never mind that the economic meltdown has replaced terrorism as the number one threat against America. All that matters to the GOP is that President Obama fails badly enough that they can win some seats back in Congress in 2010.

The BooMan thinks the current unified front against Obama will crack and crumble soon enough. He may be right; I hope he is. But it appears the GOP chose to destroy Judd Gregg’s political career rather than quietly stand by and allow him to take the Commerce Secretary position.

The story that’s current at the moment is that originally it was Judd Gregg who approached the Obama team and asked to be part of the administration. Not long ago Sen. Gregg had spoken out in favor of the idea of a big stimulus bill. But the Republican Party, as Andy Sullivan says, made Gregg’s position untenable. He recused himself on the stimulus bill vote, which managed to piss off everyone on the political spectrum. He’s so bruised up now he’s saying he won’t run for re-election to the Senate in 2010, although I understand he has left himself room to change his mind.

By all appearances, Gregg must have caught hell from his party for considering a cabinet position. It’s the most likely explanation for his behavior.

For more commentary, see No More Mr. Nice Blog, Tom Edsall, and Michael Tomasky.