# GOP Obstructionism reaches new heights **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 1, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550 "2010-12-01T16:44:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/1 "2010-12-01T16:44:17Z")
> [@Washington Post](#): > > WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans intend to block action on virtually all Democratic-backed legislation unrelated to tax cuts and government spending in the current postelection session of Congress, officials said Tuesday, adding that the leadership has quietly collected signatures on a letter pledging to carry out the strategy. [Wow!](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/30/AR2010113007532.html) They literally intend to block everything that Democrats want to do, regardless of the merits.This is the kind of petulant behavior I’d expect from a toddler throwing a temper tantrum, not from our democratically elected officials charged with governing the country. I think it’s time to abolish the filibuster. If it’s going to be used in such a breathtakingly irresponsible way, it’s just not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/2 "2010-12-01T16:49:35Z")
Well if the Democrats would just cave on a few minor issues… :smack: Reality is what the loudest idiot says it is. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/3 "2010-12-01T16:57:08Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > [Wow!](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/30/AR2010113007532.html) They literally intend to block everything that Democrats want to do, regardless of the merits.This is the kind of petulant behavior I’d expect from a toddler throwing a temper tantrum, not from our democratically elected officials charged with governing the country. I think it’s time to abolish the filibuster. If it’s going to be used in such a breathtakingly irresponsible way, it’s just not worth it. Yeah, those dastardly Republicans! How dare they push hard to do what they were electd to do and force an absolutel focus on fiscal issues, just like people damnded of them! The _swine_! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/4 "2010-12-01T16:57:44Z")
What’s “new” about this? ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/5 "2010-12-01T16:57:59Z")
> [@bosstone](#): > > reality is what the loudest idiot says it is. **I have tens of milions of dollars, lots of hot sex with supermodels, a brand new Tesla Roadster, and my very own island country.** ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/6 "2010-12-01T17:07:29Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Yeah, those dastardly Republicans! How dare they push hard to do what they were electd to do and force an absolutel focus on fiscal issues, just like people damnded of them! The _swine_! So you fully support UHC with a public option, repeal of DADT, serious implementation of CO2 reduction policy, and everything else that was clearly part of the Democratic platform? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/7 "2010-12-01T17:11:24Z")
Those weren’t the _real_ Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/8 "2010-12-01T17:14:58Z")
Democrats should call their bluff. Let the Republicans be responsible for all the tax cuts expiring and the goverment shutting down. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/9 "2010-12-01T17:36:26Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Yeah, those dastardly Republicans! How dare they push hard to do what they were electd to do and force an absolutel focus on fiscal issues, just like people damnded of them! The _swine_! They’re promising to bring the Senate to a standstill for a month over maintaining a tax cut for the rich. In good times, when there were no other pressing issues for the country, that would be a dickish move; and these are not those times. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/10 "2010-12-01T17:36:55Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Yeah, those dastardly Republicans! How dare they push hard to do what they were electd to do and force an absolutel focus on fiscal issues, just like people damnded of them! The _swine_! I expected better from you than this sort of kneejerk. Push hard =/= prevent everything else. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/11 "2010-12-01T17:42:13Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I expected better from you than this sort of kneejerk. Really? Why? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/12 "2010-12-01T17:43:58Z")
Because **sb** is partisan, but typically not mindlessly so. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/13 "2010-12-01T17:44:30Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Really? Why? Boundless optimism, I’d assume. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/14 "2010-12-02T00:07:46Z")
This likely [includes New START](http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/12/01/did_the_cost_of_new_start_just_go_up_by_700_billion). These fuckers are playing “I’m taking my ball and going home if I don’t get my way” with the possibility of Putin [building new nuclear stockpiles](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-russia-putin-20101202,0,6139769.story). Over tax cuts for the rich. If there was any doubt about the Republicans’ sole concern, I think that ought to destroy it. I had not thought my opinion of them could get any lower. In a just world, Republican Senators would be unable to show their faces in public out of shame. This is apparently not that world. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/15 "2010-12-02T00:16:36Z")
[Republicans block child nutrition bill](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101201/ap_on_bi_ge/us_congress_school_nutrition) ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/16 "2010-12-02T00:26:57Z")
Incidentally, in the world of not-exactly-spot-on predictions, I’d like to point out [from another thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13193852&postcount=13) a couple days ago: > [@Sam Stone](#): > > It’s a very smart move. This will give Obama all kinds of political cover when negotiating with Republicans. Now when the Republicans try to stall something Obama wants done, he can legitimately point at the federal worker freeze and say, “Look, I’ve been meeting you guys halfway. Time for you to give a little.” Without making a move like this, Obama is very vulnerable to charges that he’s just an ideologue unwilling to cross the aisle and work together with Republicans. By doing this up front, he can short-circuit that whole avenue of attack by Republicans. Damn, it’s a good thing Obama got himself political cover for these negotiations. If he hadn’t offered up something like the pay freeze, the Republicans wouldn’t have been so willing to compromise. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/17 "2010-12-02T00:35:03Z")
I’ve said all along anyone who votes Republican is either a piece of shit traitor or an ignorant fool. Anyone doubt me now that Republicans are playing politics with nuclear weapons and childhood health? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/18 "2010-12-02T00:37:08Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > So you fully support UHC with a public option, repeal of DADT, serious implementation of CO2 reduction policy, and everything else that was clearly part of the Democratic platform? I fully support the Democrats in Congress doing their best to pass all of that. And I fully support the Republicans in Congress doing their best to stop 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/19 "2010-12-02T00:45:49Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > [Republicans block child nutrition bill](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101201/ap_on_bi_ge/us_congress_school_nutrition) It’s not an unreasonable move. They don’t think regulating school nutrition is a federal matter. I can’t say I care much either way. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550/20 "2010-12-02T00:47:28Z")
Great. Let the Bush tax cuts expire. I didn’t think that it was going to be politically possible to do that, but if we can’t get anything done, then we’ll just have to let the tax cuts expire, and it will be the Republicans’ fault. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-obstructionism-reaches-new-heights/562550.md?page=2)