The parallel to what happened to Jimmy Carter couldn't be more exact. As soon as the first president nominated under the new presidential primary system won the election, i.e., the first Democrat not chosen in Mayor Daley's smoke-filled backrooms, House Speaker Tip O'Neill began using the "bi-partisanship" ploy. Heads up, people. This is the code word for defeat of Obama's legislative agenda. The way it works is, any time a good law is proposed by the administration that might actually benefit the American people, Pelosi and powers invite the Republican side to weigh in, in the interest of "bipartisanship." The people who in their own time in power pushed their agenda as if the Democrats didn't even exist, will water down the good or continue the bickering until Obama looks like he can't do a single thing right.
From his energy independence plan...
(had establishment Democrats like O'Neill and then-House Whip Robert Byrd allowed Carter to take on the oil companies, we might not be in the mess we're in in the Middle East), to human rights, the talking point for defeat was "bipartisanship." Pelosi will allow debate to continue as the Republican side savages Obama on initiative after initiative, and they will never rally to his defense. I'm only guessing here, but I've seen this playbook before.
Why? Because despite a few recent sell-outs like on FISA and the bail-out, Obama is still the new kid who doesn't owe much to anyone but the people, who could really change things. When this happens people begin to feel empowered again, and start looking around for other things to change. This cannot be tolerated by the status quo, and there are powerful interests, who have bought and paid-for politicians in both parties, who are looking for Obama's to be considered a failed presidency, as Carter's is. This paves the way for the kind of vicious right-wing reaction that brought us Ronald Reagan and, ultimately, George Bush.
If Kossacks care about Obama's success they should campaign to throw Pelosi out on her ear, RIGHT NOW. Obama knows what he's talking about when he says the hard part is just beginning. Recent history has clued us in. Whether we will learn from it is up to us.
Boston Globe: House speaker gives a vow of bipartisanship
Pelosi, in marked contrast to the assertive statements made by Republicans when the GOP won control of Congress and the White House in 2000, downplayed suggestions of a commanding mandate, saying Democrats were eager to work with the minority party...ARTICLE