Rove Evaluates Congressional Democrats
In an op-ed in the Opinion Journal that will surely bring howls of outrage, Karl Rove systematically evaluates the accomplishments of the Democratic leadership in Congress. Well, actually 'accomplishments' in this context is not exactly a compliment.
Democrats promised "civility and bipartisanship." Instead, they stiff-armed their Republican colleagues, refused to include them in budget negotiations between the two houses, and have launched more than 400 investigations and made more than 675 requests for documents, interviews or testimony. They refused a bipartisan compromise on an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, instead wasting precious time sending the president a bill they knew he would veto. And they did this knowing that they wouldn't be able to override that veto. Why? Because their pollsters told them putting the children's health-care program at risk would score political points. Instead, it left them looking cynical.
The list of Congress's failures grows each month. No energy bill. No action on health care. No action on the mortgage crisis. No immigration reform. No progress on renewing No Child Left Behind. Precious little action on judges and not enough on reducing trade barriers. Congress has not done its work. And these failures will have consequences.
Democrats had a moment after the 2006 election, but now that moment has passed. They've squandered it. They have demonstrated both the inability and unwillingness to govern. Instead, after more than a decade in the congressional minority, they reflexively look for short-term partisan advantage and attempt to appease the party's most strident fringe. Now that Democrats have the reins of congressional power, their true colors are coming out and the public doesn't like what it sees.
The Democratic victory in 2006 was narrow. They won the House by 85,961 votes out of over 80 million cast and the Senate by a mere 3,562 out of over 62 million cast. A party that wins control by that narrow margin can quickly see its fortunes reversed when it fails to act responsibly, fails to fulfill its promises, and fails to lead.
The voters are increasingly angry at the Congress and its negative accomplishments. That is a dangerous situation for the party in power - especially since the Democratic leadership just blindly continues their negative, highly partisan tactics. The Left has spent years demonizing Karl Rove, but they have done so because of his knack for analyzing the voting public. The Democrats won't listen to Rove, fortunately. But I think he's got this one nailed exactly.
Other Links to this Post
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Chuck Adkins » Short Takes — Friday, 9 November , 2007 @ 11:36 am
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Wake up America-Incompetent Democrats — Friday, 9 November , 2007 @ 12:16 pm
By FedUp, Friday, 9 November , 2007 @ 10:04 am
Guess the truth hurts! Rove is right on! Shame on the Dems if they can’t wake up and see what they are doing to the country, not to mention their party. For some unexplained reason, they think the American people are stupid - and for all those who continue to vote these greedy, coniving, lying, cheating morons back into office - that is the God’s truth!! Our founding fathers must be spinning in their graves!
By mockinbird, Friday, 9 November , 2007 @ 1:52 pm
I am mad as hell at the Democrats in Congress, and I will continue to vote Republican until either someone better comes along, or Florida secedes from the Union.