The REAL Problem in Washington Posted by Michael Cohen

As is often his way Matt Yglesias makes a great point today about the economic stimulus proposal agreed to by Congress:

Chris Hayes looks at the pretty disappointing stimulus package that's apparently been agreed to and argues "I think progressives have to do some very long, deep, sustained thinking about why this congress has been such a failure." I dunno about that. The man's not single-handedly to blame for every problem with this congress, but the main reason the congress has been so disappointing has been that George W. Bush is still President.

The initial Democratic proposal was much better than what eventually got agreed to. . . .But the reason it's not very good is the Republicans not some mystifying failure on Nancy Pelosi's fault.

I have my own mystification on why more progressives don't realize this. George Bush and his obstructionist minions in the Senate have pretty much opposed everything Democrats have tried to accomplish over the past year. This at the same time that Democrats are trying to avoid overreaching and protect their slim majorities in both Houses. Anyone who expected that Dems were just going to overturn everything George Bush had done in the first six years of his failed Presidency were smoking something that smelled like Otto's jacket. For all those progressives upset over  the performance of the Democratic Congress I want you to imagine what today's stimulus package would have looked like in a Republican Congress.

I don't offer this post as a defense for everything Congressional Democrats have done. Indeed I have been quite critical in the past, but the notion that a Democratic Congress would put in place significant change in the face of President Bush's unceasing obstructionism was simply never realistic. Newsflash to progressives: the revolution will not happen overnight.

Comments

[Tim]

As a corollary to this sentiment, remember President Clinton versus the Republicans from 1995-2001? He managed to limit their damage to only a few program, kept them from eliminating taxes on the rich, got a few small things done here and there (S-CHIP and the like), and did it while the very cohesive Republican party fumed on TV every day about how much Clinton was screwing up the country by not allowing their bills to pass. Our system gives the advantage to the President, especially when he is in his second term. That just the way it goes.

[Andrew]

I can forgive them for compromising on the energy bill, the stimulus package, and SCHIP. Mukasey, telecom immunity, Kyl-Lieberman, and contempt citations--not so much.

[Mike M.]

I'm pretty much with you, Michael. But maybe you're misrepresenting the progressive view. We didn't expect a magic reversal of all policies that we hate. But two things have bee frustrating.

First, compromise where compromise doesn't seem necessary. The FISA bill being debated now is a good example. Democrats really can't just say no to telecom immunity?

Second, I think we expected that even if we can't beat Bush that we'd make Bush and his allies stage a few fights. That they would have the filibuster rather than just threaten a filibuster. That bills that Bush vetoes would be sent to him again and again.

You're right that Bush is in a powerful position to obstruct. But he hasn't been truly exposed as an obstructionist.

Maybe I'm wrong and if congress acted the way I want it to, people would just say they're picking pointless fights. But congress isn't popular now because people think congress is impotent and I think that's worse. I was looking for a more confrontational strategy that would have exposed Bush and his ilk at their worst.

[Xanthippas]

...but the notion that a Democratic Congress would put in place significant change in the face of President Bush's unceasing obstructionism was simply never realistic.

Well, that's all true. But the problem, as Mike above states, is that Democrats in Congress, while actually enjoying some moderate success with Bush as President, go out of their way to fall over themselves over measures that are deep and dear to the hearts of progressives. Like say, the Telecom immunity bill they are busy trying to pass. Measures like that fuel the perception, however mistaken, that there's something fundamentally wrong with the Democratic Congress, not merely that they haven't succeeded as much as progressives would have hoped.

[wayne]

I think it's unfair of you to say the Democratic Congress hasn't accomplished anything - they did name a post office after Rush Limbaugh.