Discover GOP Opprobrium

[teapeebubbles]

Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma, one of Congress' most conservative Democrats, offers a terrific example of why the Blue Dog caucus can be so infuriating.

"It was a good thing for the president to meet with Republicans. The previous administration never met with Democratic members of Congress. The problem is that it became a Democrat [sic] bill and not an American bill," Boren continued, "because he didn't use any of the Republican ideas."


Let's count all of the problems with this.

First, as a rule, only those on the right misuse the word "Democratic."

Second, to suggest that Republican support is a requirement for legislation to be "American" is ridiculous.

And third, Obama not only engaged Republicans directly, but he included and/or accepted all kinds of measures to try to win over their support. Tax breaks on homes, cars, and the AMT fix weren't Democratic ideas, but they're in the bill. Indeed, if we're talking about "Republican ideas," it's worth remembering that three Senate Republicans went through the bill, line by line, taking out measures they disapproved of, and they got most of what they wanted.

For what it's worth, Boren did vote for the "Democrat bill" this afternoon, so I suppose he deserves some credit. But if he'd done so without rhetoric like this, Boren's stand would have been far more appreciated.