Republican Obstructionism's BIG HURT on Our Country, 2009-2013

Tues. June 25, 2013:


Dear Readers, there are SO MANY WAYS that Republican obsructionism is wrecking our country.

Here are just a few:


I.

In 2007, President Bush could openly support immigration reform in Congress, although it ended up not passing.  In 2013, woe be unto ANY immigration bill -- even a bipartisan or Republican bill -- if Obama favors it!  THIS IS THE ABSURDITY THAT WE HAVE REACHED IN CONGRESS!

To quote, from an article by Michael D. Shear:

Six years ago President George W. Bush publicly sent cabinet secretaries to roam the Capitol building daily to try to woo Republican senators for a similar immigration bill.  But this time, high-profile help from the White House is anathema to many Republicans who do not want to be seen by constituents as carrying out the will of Mr. Obama.

So while lawmakers from both parties are privately relying on the White House and its agencies to provide technical information to draft scores of amendments to the immigration bill, few Republicans are willing to admit it.  Some are so eager to prove that the White House is not pulling the strings that their aides say the administration is not playing any role at all.


II.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/opinion/sunday/a-modest-nuclear-agenda.html?src=recg

The most pertinent part:

. . . a disappointing example of what happens when soaring vision collides with the reality of obstructive Republican senators, a recalcitrant Russia and a convergence of regional crises.

Obama had to scale way back his proposed major nuclear weapons reduction treaty with the Russians -- which would make the whole planet safer without affecting deterrence one iota.
Not only because of Putin's usual "recalcitrance."
Even more, because of, you guessed it, Republican obstructionism.



III.

 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-20/obamacare-is-for-republicans-too.html

    Against their own interest, G.O.P. governors are trying to sabotage the Affordable Care Act
    -- which, after all, even the conservative Supreme Court has upheld as the Law of the Land.


IV.

Did Republican pressure even wear down Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke?
Paul Krugman, of course, thinks so:

. . . Fed officials are, consciously or not, responding to political pressure.  After all, ever since the Fed began its policy of aggressive monetary stimulus, it has faced angry accusations from the right that it is "debasing" the dollar and setting the stage for high inflation -- accusations that haven't been retracted even though the dollar has remained strong and inflation has remained low.  It's hard to avoid the suspicion that Fed officials, worn down by the constant attacks, have been looking for a reason to slacken their efforts, and have seized on slightly better economic news as an excuse.