NOTE: This is part three on what I plan on my three part series on Politics in America. It isn’t meant to be a slam on one party in particular; it’s meant to be a slam on all of them.
Also, I’m willing to have a serious conversation with anyone who disagrees with me; after all, that’s healthy. However, if all you’re gonna do is slam me and insult me and my intelligence, then don’t bother.
I have a problem.
If memory serves me correctly, a majority is when you have more than half of something. For example, if I have six slices of pizza and you have four, then that makes me greedy. That ALSO gives me a majority of the pizza, while still making me greedy. I’m also under the impression that a supermajority is at more than 60% of something. Using the previous pizza as an example, if I had seven slices and you had three, I have a supermajority of the pizza…as well as heartburn. Of course, I could be completely off-kiler about these, but I doubt it.
To that end, the Democratic Party had a supermajority of seats in Congress – as well as someone I’d like to call the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and guess what they did with it? If you guessed “nothing,” then you’re a winner! Until the election of Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, the Democrats had 60 seats in the Senate, as opposed to the 39+1 by the Republicans and Joe Lieberman. This means that they should’ve been able to pass gas if they wanted to and it become law, because the Republicans and Joe Lieberman would have been unable to block it.
Could they have? Yes. Did they? No. Why? That’s more interesting.
Despite what you’ve heard from some talking heads out there, President Obama is very intelligent. He’s probably more intelligent than everyone who reads this blog altogether. That being said, he’s like a bull in a china shop when it comes to bipartisanship. He wants it, he needs it, it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Problem with that is you can’t have bipartisanship when the other party doesn’t want it. If you say they do, then you need to read the post entitled “No Why?” and get back to me on that.
Also, the supermajority was mostly wasted on the Democrats anyway, because they kept trying to cut off their own nose to spite their face. Why? I’m glad you asked. Both parties have their extremes, their regulars, and their middle liners. The Repubs have the Neoconservatives, the Conservatives, and the Moderates. The Dems have the Progressive Liberals, the Liberals, and the Moderates. Now, if you give the Repubs a supermajority, they go stir crazy and pass everything known to man. Why? Because they can due to no threat of filibuster from the other side, and because they stick together with their own.
The Dems? Not so much.
The Dems had a supermajority, and they spent all their time fighting amongst themselves. Take Healthcare Reform for instance; the House of Representatives passed a comprehensive HCR bill that would’ve ensured millions of Americans currently without insurance for whatever reason. All the Dems had to do was look at it, give it the thumbs up, and that would’ve been that. Sure, the Repubs would’ve tried to prolong the passing by any means necessary (primarily because that’s their job), but it would’ve gone into effect, and that would’ve been that. That didn’t happen, because everyone had their own two cents they wanted to add to or remove from it. They ended up submitting a bill that pales in comparison to the House bill, and I believe they did so with no votes from the other side.
So much for bipartisanship, eh?
In my opinion, the Dems should’ve taken a page from their counterparts across the aisle. Regardless if they thought the plan was full of crap, they should’ve said, “I don’t like this, but this may be the only way to give the people what they want.” Wishful thinking, I know.
And another thing, these nitwits who say that such-and-such bill isn’t what the people want aren’t really talking to the people, are they? If these politicians had brain one in their heads, they’d take a trip to their districts and listen to all of the people, and not just the ones they want to hear. Once again, wishful thinking, I know.
All right, Democrats, please listen to me for a second. I may not be THE voice of America, but I’ll be damned if I’m not A voice of America. What we need the most is affordable health care and lower taxes. It can be done, but you have to pull together in order to make it happen. Otherwise, you’re just spineless, and there’s no hope for you.
Make it happen…if you dare.