Obama to GOP on Stimulus Deal: “I Won”

The Republican Party is still having trouble adjusting to the fact that it is a minority party. The Rovian belief that “bipartisanship” means Democrats must vote for GOP policies is still going strong. In a recent meeting with Congressional Republicans, President Obama played the ace of trump when he noted, “I won.” For the next year or so, those will be the words that mark the end of negotiations on a variety of issues.

The specific exchange occurred during a meeting at the White House with congressional leaders and the new president. The subject at hand was the size and shape of the economic stimulus plan. The size is less an issue than its composition. Obviously, the GOP would be happier with a package of tax cuts amounting to $1 trillion than a spending package of $500 billion, fiscal rectitude be damned.

So, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) challenged the Democrats on their preference for spending and tax cuts for the poorest Americans. He trotted out the usual Republican talking point that a tax credit for people who don't earn enough to pay income tax isn't actually a tax cut but a welfare check. Tax cuts should go to the better off.

Jonathan Weisman blogging for The Wall Street Journal reported, “Obama noted that such workers pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, property taxes and sales taxes.” This is the great divide. Is it more effective to give the poor money to spend or the rich money to invest? Well, politically, Mr. Obama has said the decision was made on November 4.

The GOP must adjust to the new order in Washington. They don't control either house in Congress, and they can barely filibuster in the Senate. The White House isn't theirs, and the courts are going to have new, progressive judges. Bipartisanship now means that they will get a hearing, and if their ideas have some merit (which the Democrats will decide), those ideas will go into governmental policy. However, there are limits.

Ideally, the Obama administration and its Democratic allies in Congress will be able to put together legislation that many Republicans can support. If they can't, though, they have a mandate from the American people to act without the GOP's backing. The Republicans need to understand this in order to be an effective opposition party. That is distinct from an obstructionist party that merely says “no” all the time. Until they learn the difference and how to oppose properly, they will remain in the wilderness.

© Copyright 2009 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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