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[Shadowlord]

You're not hearing much about bipartisanship because the Republicans in congress refuse to compromise 99% of the time. The President tried to work with them in the past, and the only deals that were reached were largely with the few moderate Republicans who were still willing to compromise - and those are mostly out of Congress now, or retiring, as far as I know.

After the Tea Party came in, it was Obstruction City much of the time, but sometimes it was even worse:

Do you remember when time was running out to raise the debt ceiling? The Republicans in Congress convinced everyone that they were completely willing to make the government default on its debt, but would agree to raise it if their demands were met. In the end, there were no revenues included, only cuts, and cuts exceeded the debt limit increase (and yet we will have to raise it again early next year), even though the government has been able to borrow at negative real interest rates since 2010 (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_debt-ceiling_crisis#Negative_real_interest_rates).

Quoth Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: "I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting. Most of us didn't think that. What we did learn is this – it's a hostage that's worth ransoming."

I thought we had a policy not to negotiate with terrorists?

Some articles about what defaulting on the debt would probably have meant:

It could have crippling effects on the economy: http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/what-happens-if-the-debt-ceiling-isnt-raised/.

The federal government could be unable to fully fund itself: http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110717/AGENCY05/107170302/Debt-ceiling-talks-What-failure-would-mean-you.

And quoting Timothy Geithner: "Under normal circumstances, investors who hold Treasuries purchase new Treasury securities when the debt matures, permitting the United States to pay the principal on this maturing debt. Yet in the scenario you advocate, in which the United State would be defaulting on a broad range of its other obligations, there is no guarantee that investors would continue to re-invest in new Treasury securities. In fact, some market participants have already indicated that they would be disinclined to do so. ... If investors chose not to purchase a sufficient volume of new Treasury securities, the United States would be required to pay the principal on maturing debt, and not merely the interest, out of available cash. Yet the Treasury would be unable to make these principal payments without the continued confidence of market participants willing to buy new Treasury securities." That is from http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/06/29/full-text-geithner-letter-responding-to-republicans-on-debt-limit/

[SealyStar]

You're not hearing much about bipartisanship because the Republicans in congress refuse to compromise 99% of the time. The President tried to work with them in the past, and the only deals that were reached were largely with the few moderate Republicans who were still willing to compromise - and those are mostly out of Congress now, or retiring, as far as I know.

After the Tea Party came in, it was Obstruction City much of the time, but sometimes it was even worse:

Do you remember when time was running out to raise the debt ceiling? The Republicans in Congress convinced everyone that they were completely willing to make the government default on its debt, but would agree to raise it if their demands were met. In the end, there were no revenues included, only cuts, and cuts exceeded the debt limit increase (and yet we will have to raise it again early next year), even though the government has been able to borrow at negative real interest rates since 2010 (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_debt-ceiling_crisis#Negative_real_interest_rates).

Quoth Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: "I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting. Most of us didn't think that. What we did learn is this – it's a hostage that's worth ransoming."

I thought we had a policy not to negotiate with terrorists?

Some articles about what defaulting on the debt would probably have meant:

It could have crippling effects on the economy: http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/what-happens-if-the-debt-ceiling-isnt-raised/.

The federal government could be unable to fully fund itself: http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110717/AGENCY05/107170302/Debt-ceiling-talks-What-failure-would-mean-you.

And quoting Timothy Geithner: "Under normal circumstances, investors who hold Treasuries purchase new Treasury securities when the debt matures, permitting the United States to pay the principal on this maturing debt. Yet in the scenario you advocate, in which the United State would be defaulting on a broad range of its other obligations, there is no guarantee that investors would continue to re-invest in new Treasury securities. In fact, some market participants have already indicated that they would be disinclined to do so. ... If investors chose not to purchase a sufficient volume of new Treasury securities, the United States would be required to pay the principal on maturing debt, and not merely the interest, out of available cash. Yet the Treasury would be unable to make these principal payments without the continued confidence of market participants willing to buy new Treasury securities." That is from http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/06/29/full-text-geithner-letter-responding-to-republicans-on-debt-limit/

Agreed. The problem isn't that Obama can't compromise with Republicans... it's that the Republicans have deliberately avoided compromise to make him look bad.

[darkrider2]

Its basically a group school project where two kids get grouped together and one hates the other so much he does no work and deliberately undermines the other and when they get a bad grade says the other kid fucked everything up.

At least, that's my analogy.

[Glowcat]

If you want an example of bipartisanship look at the response to Sandy. And some of the responses to that bipartisanship.

Unfortunately, dysfunctional politics are a part of the GOP's plan to get back into the White House. Hopefully if Obama is re-elected they give up on their "1-term president" plan and start working with Democrats to obtain actual compromises instead of unconditional surrender.

[GreatJustice]

If you want an example of bipartisanship look at the response to Sandy. And some of the responses to that bipartisanship.

Unfortunately, dysfunctional politics are a part of the GOP's plan to get back into the White House. Hopefully if Obama is re-elected they give up on their "1-term president" plan and start working with Democrats to obtain actual compromises instead of unconditional surrender.

Not sure if Chris Christie's word is going to make much of a difference, what with the multi-hour long gas lines and so on.

[darkrider2]

If you want an example of bipartisanship look at the response to Sandy. And some of the responses to that bipartisanship.

Unfortunately, dysfunctional politics are a part of the GOP's plan to get back into the White House. Hopefully if Obama is re-elected they give up on their "1-term president" plan and start working with Democrats to obtain actual compromises instead of unconditional surrender.

Is Christie a Traitor?

...

wut.

They do realize a hurricane just rolled over that state right?

[Zrk2]

Its basically a group school project where two kids get grouped together and one hates the other so much he does no work and deliberately undermines the other and when they get a bad grade says the other kid fucked everything up.

At least, that's my analogy.

It works on so many levels.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I maintain that the GOP is slowly but surely killing itself on their Obama hatred. It's become their driving force and isn't going anywhere.

[Mictlantecuhtli]

If you want an example of bipartisanship look at the response to Sandy. And some of the responses to that bipartisanship.

Unfortunately, dysfunctional politics are a part of the GOP's plan to get back into the White House. Hopefully if Obama is re-elected they give up on their "1-term president" plan and start working with Democrats to obtain actual compromises instead of unconditional surrender.

Double unfortunately, the next four years will consist of floods of 'Impeach Obama' no matter what happens.

It's a good thing the last person you'll be seeing intimidated; is Chris Christie. I half-expect a hastily setup press conference where he tells Murdoch to fuck himself.

Rush Limbaugh called Christie "fat and a fool," saying Christie "doesn't know what he's talking about."

That's such a level of hypocrisy that makes my head spin, coming from the dense blob of cellulose that is Rush Limburger.

Spoiler: Avert your eyes (click to show/hide)

[scriver]

It's funny that the Republicans passed that amendment after the Democrats found the perfect wonder-president in FDR.

Then the Republicans found their messiah in Reagan, and must have been really mad when they realized he could only have two terms.

Weren't the Big Switch in between there though?

[Karnewarrior]

Oh jesus christ.

I'm hoping the Republican party as a whole is replaced. Maybe by the Green Party. Probably not the Whigs, even though from the Wikipedia article I agree with them on most issues.

Or maybe they'll change names, like what happened in the early years of U.S Politics.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Maybe they'll be honest and come back as the Jesus Dollar Party.

[darkrider2]

Or go down kicking and screaming... that seems to be a popular theme with these guys.

[TripJack]

I'm hoping the Republican party as a whole is replaced.

show me on the doll where the evul republicans touched you

[Leafsnail]

Let the record state that he turned out the pockets of the doll.