GOP + BAM = BFF?
Now that we live in “Age of Obama” and with the coronation Immaculate Conception inauguration of Barack Obama next week, every one seems to be all bi-partisan up the ass as of late (except for the blogosphere, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid). In keeping with that, apparently the house GOP as invited P.E. BAM (soon to be P.BAM) over to have a lovely tea party at his earliest convenience.
So sayeth the Washington Post:
“In accordance with your campaign pledge to work in a bipartisan manner and change the partisan tone in Washington, D.C., we would like to extend an invitation to you to address a meeting of the House Republican Conference,” wrote Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and the four other members of the elected leadership team.
According to a senior GOP aide, incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the chairman of the Republican conference, and gave an “enthusiastic yes” to the invitation to speak before the GOP lawmakers. No date has been set, but both sides hope to have the new president on Capitol Hill to talk to Republicans within a month.
Personally, I like it. Back in the day, Ronald Reagan would battle house speaker Tip O’ Neil during the day, but then have him over for drinks afterwards. Whether or not this meeting will lead to regular games of one on-one between Obama and Eric Cantor is still to be seen. It’s definitely a step in the right direction.
I know a lot of my colleagues in and around the Internet think the word “bi-partisan” is the filthiest word in the English language, and would prefer the GOP fight everything just for the sake of fighting. There’s nothing knew there, it was the same when Newt Gingrich w as speaker. So sayeth the former speaker back in a 1998 memoir:
…the conservative activists were spoiling for a fight and wanted to see daily or at least weekly action. And whereas most Americans, including ordinary American’s among them, wanted to see the newly re-elected President [Clinton] and Congress work together to achieve some movement in the direction of changing governmental policy, conservative movement spokesman…were only going to be satisfied by being able to witness ongoing conflict between Capitol Hill and congress.
Personally, I just think we should pick and choose our battles. Fighting over every little decision Obama makes weakens out effect in fighting over the important issues like Card Check and the $1 BILLION stimulus plan (think of Sen. Inhofe, who found a creative way to deal with the later). We don’t have that many cards to play. Let’s hold them until the pot is worth it.
Also, let’s sit back for the time being and let Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid earn that 17% approval rating the Congress they’ve controlled for the past two years has worked hard as obtaining. Remember, Obama won’t be on the ballot in 2010. Reid, Pelosi, and a whole lot of their colleagues will.
UPDATE: Both Jen Rubin and Jim Geraghty bring up interesting points.
UPDATE DEUX: Umm…what?
UPDATE TRES: Maybe Obama will overreach after all?
UPDATE 4: A follow up from UPDATE DEUX…
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