This letter is associated with the following article:
Letters
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 12:00 AM

Has there been too much bipartisanship or too little?

The reward Joe Lieberman will receive today is justified by the claimed need for more bipartisanship harmony. Is it even possible to have more than we have now?

Read other letters about this article

  • Tuesday, November 18, 2008 07:33 AM

    Um. No

    I provided numerous examples in what I just wrote of how flagrantly untrue this claim is. I documented the extreme, virtually complete, agreement among the parties over the last eight years on most of the most consequential matters.

    What you described is not bi-partisanship, as I understand that idea. Yes, the Congressional Democrats have been spineless, roundheeled appeasers of the Bush Administration. But, except in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, that was NOT because that because they truly wanted to work together and seek common ground with Republicans. It was because the Democrats calculated -- correctly, as it turns out -- that refusing to confront Bush was the best way to achieve political market dominance. In fact, the nastiness and bickering and backstabbing proceeded apace through the Bush years. The Democrats were simply cowed because they were absolutely terrified of getting blamed for another terrorist attack (or the loss of the Iraq War; ironic, since it was lost before it began).

    The truth is: Having people fight with each other is good entertainment. And where there is good entertainment, there is a lot of money to be made. Political partisanship is a big business. That doesn't make it a good thing for democracy.

    (I hope these comments meet your exacting standards.)

Most Active Letters Threads

730

The commendably missing element from Obama's speech

There was no pretense that human rights is our goal, or the likely outcome, in escalating the war
688

Obama's exceedingly familiar justifications for escalation

The "new" approach to Afghanistan touted by White House officials seems quite old
329

Yes, it's Obama's war now

An uninspiring speech sells a dubious policy, but progressives who feel betrayed have only themselves to blame
284

America's regression

It's almost impossible to find a nation with as many torture advocates as the U.S. has.
187

The poster boy for progressive self-delusion

Read Hayden's 2008 Obama endorsement to remember the way the left sold our centrist president to itself

View all »

Letters Help

Currently in Salon