tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post3209367012128320849..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: The Bargaining Advantage of Not Caring About PolicyJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-17065539279870482192010-12-04T12:01:07.885-06:002010-12-04T12:01:07.885-06:00JB: specific, discreet policy - Don't you mean...JB: specific, discreet policy - Don't you mean "discrete"?<br /><br />"but there's only so much time in a legislative session when the opposition is this obstructive."<br />I wonder how much time would be saved by introducing the Merkley filibuster rule?Johnny Canucknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-70107377166711712482010-12-03T17:05:57.002-06:002010-12-03T17:05:57.002-06:00Anonymous:
Democrats MOSTLY don't have oppose...Anonymous:<br /><br />Democrats MOSTLY don't have opposed goals, but there are exceptions. The one that comes to mind immediately is cap-and-trade (which is one of those issues Gordon notes that the Democratic plan is one that Republicans used to put forward, and is very amenable to Jonathan's "some progress is better than none").<br />Environmentalists want it, but two other constituencies that are largely Democratic don't: auto workers and coal miners. It doesn't help things that most of those people live in areas that are more amenable to electing Republicans anyway (except Detroit, but all the other areas that make autos count, too). So, when you're lining up things to cram through your limited door opening, cap-and-trade is going to be at the back of that line.<br />Immigration, too, has a lot of wedge-ness to it, but I'm not as sure that the parts of the coalition that oppose the rest of the party on immigration are as nastily geographically distributed for Dems' electoral fortunes. Does anybody have a good map of immigration opinion?Matt Jarvisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-18838662774251379032010-12-03T16:47:44.005-06:002010-12-03T16:47:44.005-06:00Yes, it has been a productive congress. Productive...Yes, it has been a productive congress. Productive of legislation that 25 years ago would have been considered Republican, but today is considered "radically left". <br /><br />I'm happy to take my progress 1" at a time, but going up down escalators is not conducive to progress.Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14660252332090242623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-31802511538517627792010-12-03T16:16:10.469-06:002010-12-03T16:16:10.469-06:00It's also worth bringing up the "inescapa...It's also worth bringing up the "inescapability of conflict"/"democratic frustration" you've discussed before. <br /><br />The Republican party appears to have little interest in actively using domestic policy or in updating policy frameworks as they become obsolete (think health care, education, immigration, and so on). Those constituencies who want government to work this way are therefore drawn towards the Democrats. I haven't read Jamelle Bouie's piece on this, but I have to imagine it's partly why the Democratic tent is so much larger. The party appears actually to be interested in ambitious domestic policy initiatives.<br /><br />As productive as this Congress has been under Democratic leadership, it has still failed to address some issues of core concern to certain constituencies that rely on the Democratic Party. Immigration and climate change are two examples. Congressional Democrats managed to touch on a lot of issues, but not these.<br /><br />Think of it like a group of people trying to squeeze through a door. The Democratic Party has so many elements really passionately yearning for action, but there's only so much time in a legislative session when the opposition is this obstructive.<br /><br />This is where the "democratic frustration" comes in. It's not necessarily that Democratic constituencies have opposed aims; they just have different ones, so even if a couple core areas of interest get addressed, that inevitably leaves some groups upset that they didn't get their chance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com