In case anybody hasn’t been paying attention lately, we are in a time of change. MAJOR change. Just in the last few days more things have changed than we can even really keep track of effectively! Fr’instnace! Wow! That would have been HUGE news a few months ago, and now it is not even in the headlines or on the reclist. There is just too much change……Yipee!
When we have such a huge paradigm shift as that which we are apparently enjoying, it takes our little antiquated brains and emotions a while to catch up. Momentum carries us through the day far more than actual thought or perception. An ill wind has been blowing for what seems like an eternity. That fan has now been unplugged…..but even after you unplug the fan, the blades keep turning. The momentum of that power lasts for a while. Thus is it now with the Republicans.
Two things made me reflect on this. First this lede in an article about yet another big change that is under the radar a bit, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act passing in the Senate. To quote the lede…”Boy, it feels good to have an occasional victory, doesn’t it?”
My response….get used to it!
The other spur was dengre’s excellent diary, Why they FEAR Eric Holder (and President Obama)… Part of the focus of which was the despicable but oh so predictable obstructionism of the Republicans in holding up Holder. My first reaction….born of the Age of Darkness we are emerging from….was Do Something! We must fight!
But then upon more rational and less reflexive pondering, I came to the conclusion that (other than pointing a finger to make sure the (unpatriotic, traitorous, America hating, lol) obstructionism is highlighted for the world to see) that the best tactic when it comes to Congressional Republicans is to ignore them.
Holder will be confirmed. Just as HRC was confirmed as Secretary of State, despite the ridiculous one day hold put on her confirmation by whiny Republican wooly mammoths like Cornyn. Because they have no actual power. Not in their numbers in Congress and not in public support for their so-called ‘policies.’
They have procedural power such as holds and filibusters…but as soon as “we” adjust to the fact that they are now a tuskless elephant, and as soon as their obstructionism ….and the fact that they are STILL propounding exactly the same policies that have failed SO disastrously…is held up for all the world and the voters to see, we can get on to the business of learning to ignore them.
Which is not to say we don’t have to account for them. All of the caveats of not misunderestimating your enemies and the lessons of dealing with a small band of terrorist insurgents apply, lol. But our thinking has to change. Our reactions have to change. And most of all, our attitude has to change. For the first time in a long time…there is a politician who is ahead of us when it comes to change. Because he has seen (as is becoming apparent) most if not all of the horrible things that we have seen. And is acting on it!
We have all been concerned about the post-partisan meme, that Obama would cave to the Repubs as our Congresscowards have for the past eight years. It is looking like (time will tell) Obama has very much realized his power. And that while he will involve the R’s, and listen to them, and pat them on their pointy little heads, he will NOT cave to them or allow them to dictate his actions. HE is acting, in large and meaningful ways, and they now have to react.
Obama has in less than a week overturned and set fire to huge sections of the circled wagons of the Conservative Baggage Train. He has with a flick of his pen made obsolete many of the most treasured….and stupid….Republican policies. From Stem Cells to reproductive rights to torture.
He has not been absolutely perfect and HIS momentum may fade over time, and we might have to both fight for him and against him on important issues. But so far, so very damn good!
Caveat emptor, of course, and Eternal Vigilance…but damn, he is ignoring the Republicans and doing what is right…so far. We need to do the same, to some extent. We need to adjust to this sweeping new reality, while not getting lulled to sleep by good news and good feelings. But…..If this is post-partisanship, I will take it!
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to have OUR bull in their china shop!
I am, literally, stunned!
You don’t mean the really hot ones too, do ya?
between progressives and conservatives (or democrats and republicans) – we don’t want to tell them how to live their lives.
They can go about their business, not marrying into same sex unions, not getting abortions, worshipping in their churches as they please and it won’t really affect us.
Whereas, their agenda, for the most part, has been about trying to force others to live like they do.
There is more to it than this, but this is a part of it. I remember when Oregon outlawed same-sex marriage, the Oregonian had two pictures on the front page – one of two women who were in a committed relationship and now couldn’t marry each other and a married evangelical couple who….were happy now that the other couple couldn’t get married. I remember thinking – I understand how this affects the gay couple, but how the heck does this affect the other couple?!
What I found the most amusing is all four women Republican senators sided with the Democratic majority to vote for the bill’s passage while their male colleagues sputtered about how unfair this will be to American business.
have been amazing to watch. I agree with the folks who say that we need to keep our eyes open and read the fine print – but to come out of the gate this hard on these issues is more than I had expected.
It has been my feeling all along that folks underestimate Obama’s strength in battle. His openness to listening to the other side is not based on a weakness of position, but just the opposite. He is strong enough in his convictions that he doesn’t need to get defensive or shout anyone down. I think the old analogy of an iron fist in a velvet glove is pretty apt.
It feels strange to feel good — almost afraid to feel good!
You know that Obama has been hard at work well prior to his inauguration and he came out charging on his very first day and is still at it. The man had a plan!!!!
As to Holder, I really, really hope you are right, buhdy! Who knows with these pernicious creeps? Maybe, they put Holder on “hold,” so they can, in the interim, threaten the shit out of him in order that he NOT appoint a Special Prosecutor, and commence investigations/prosecutions thereby!
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Well, thankfully, FRArouet had this reassuring response: