Who are American politicians beholden to? The People? The Constitution?

[kentonio]

He got reelected because he was running against the most liberal Republican nominee since Eisenhower (and I only say that because I'm not sure how liberal Ike may have been).

Not sure if srs...

[Straybow]

I say oppose Hagel because he's too soft on Hamas, Iran, etc. And why should the Republicans validate the token bipartisan act of the most partisan President in history?

[kentonio]

And why should the Republicans validate the token bipartisan act of the most partisan President in history?

Still not sure if srs...

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

And why should the Republicans validate the token bipartisan act of the most partisan President in history?

Don't know about that, Jefferson was a pretty big ***** partisan douche tool. Stabbed his best friend, Adams, in the back for partisan gain.

[MichaeltheGreat]

He got reelected because he was running against the most liberal Republican nominee since Eisenhower (and I only say that because I'm not sure how liberal Ike may have been).

Ike was a RINO in today's Republican party, far more so than Reagan would be. And if any Republican nominee further to the right would have run against Obama, the margins would have been same or better. What plays to the Republican base does not play well in the general election.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Still not sure if srs...

This would be one of the reasons most people question the sanity of hardcore Republicans.

[regexcellent]

Still not sure if srs...

Certainly in recent memory.

George W. Bush had several major policy initiatives involving the democrats such as NCLB and Medicare Part D.

Clinton was not more partisan either; he crafted NAFTA with the opposition, and worked with Republicans alongside Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole to balance the budget.

George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan served their terms Democratic majorities in Congress, and implemented their major policy by working with the Democrats. Reagan's tax cuts had to pass a Democratic House of Representatives.

I can't think of major policies of Jimmy Carter besides being horrible but I'm sure you probably love him for that very reason so I'll let you find where he worked with Republicans.

Gerald Ford was a moderate Republican from Michigan and was selected by Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew specifically because the Democrats didn't mind him too much.

[kentonio]

The question is not whether you think the others are bi-partisan, but rather why on earth you think Obama isn't. He's tried to work with the Republicans since day one, which is why Obamacare is such a ****ing mess, and why he's given so many concessions to the GOP that he had literally no need to give. Haven't you ever wondered why the left is so goddamn angry with him?

[DinoDoc]

The question is not whether you think the others are bi-partisan, but rather why on earth you think Obama isn't. He's tried to work with the Republicans since day one, which is why Obamacare is such a ****ing mess, and why he's given so many concessions to the GOP that he had literally no need to give. Haven't you ever wondered why the left is so goddamn angry with him?

There were no concessions given to the GOP. They were irrelevant and couldn't have stopped **** at the time. What held the bill up was the need to get Yellow Dog Democrats comfortable enough to pass it. Fat lot of good it did that caucus in 2010.

[kentonio]

You've clearly forgotten how much energy there was behind Obama back then. If there had been no concession to the Republicans, do you really think a couple of bluedogs could have taken Obamacare from singlepayer to the insurance industry handout it ended up as?

[DinoDoc]

No, I don't think the Democratic members of Congress could have pieced together the votes to institute the NHS here. They barely had the votes for what they were able to do.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

There were no concessions given to the GOP. They were irrelevant and couldn't have stopped **** at the time. What held the bill up was the need to get Yellow Dog Democrats comfortable enough to pass it. Fat lot of good it did that caucus in 2010.

WRT to stimulus that was wholely crafted by Pelosi no GOP involved.

WRT to Obamacare, wholely crafted within the triad of Pelosi's minions Reid and the arm twisting Obama employed to get Blue dogs on board. The only token effort as a dog and pony show was the invite of GOP to talk with Obama at the Whitehouse. A Feb 2010 summit that ultimately embarrassed Obama when he shut down any ideas by the GOP at the time and dressed down McCain for having the temerity to insist on listening to the GOP positions. IIRC it was also where Ryan went fulll on wonky on Obama and gob smacked him with the details showing that Obama had no clue. That was considered a hail mary at the time as Obama was thinking he wasn't going to get all the required Blue dogs on board and was hoping to peel off any GOP he could. Ultimately he did in the form of the earlier Specter defection.

[kentonio]

It must be fun living in a world where the truth is whatever you chose to make up that week. Enjoy, boys.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

No, I don't think the Democratic members of Congress could have pieced together the votes to institute the NHS here. They barely had the votes for what they were able to do.

They couldn't have done it if it was called a tax.

[Ben Kenobi]

He's tried to work with the Republicans since day one

Nonsense. 4 years, zero budgets. If he were willing to work with Republicans, he would have passed the first budget he saw when the Democrats controlled both houses.