Quote Of The Day – Bipartisan Blues
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Democrats, Health Care, Republicans
“We finally have a bipartisan health-care bill, the Baucus bill–both sides hate it equally.”
- Huckabee talking to Values Voters conference (via @thenote)
I think he meant it as a slight, but when neither side is getting what they want…that’s a pretty good sign to me that you’ve found something that both sides should be agreeing on.
We shall see…
This entry was posted on Friday, September 18th, 2009 and is filed under Democrats, Health Care, Republicans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Hi Justin,
I agree with you. That’s always been my definition of “good policy” as well. If the extremes on both the right and the left both don’t like it … you’re probably barking up the right tree.
Todd
September 18th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
No, no, no. This is the worst kind of policy and it us born from the notion that compromise results in the best policy.
This is at the heart of our partisan problem and it results from two entrenched sides giving in until no one is happy.
The goal should be COOPERATION, not COMPROMISE.
COOPERATION results in both sides being happy.
The problem is we have become so used to division that we have forgotten that there are common goals beyond the accumulation and retention of political power.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
If no republicans will vote for it, why should the democrats? If they can’t get one vote when they try to compromise, they should pass the bill they like.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Whatever happened to Wyden-Bennett?
September 18th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Gerry…when it comes to policy cooperation IS compromise. Come on man…
Rob…that’s sort of my point. But maybe that’s what Republicans want so they can demonize it? Don’t know. It would be smart politics.
September 18th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Justin – They will demonize either of them. So why not get the bill you want. Seems like there should be a cost to not engaging in the process.
September 18th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Alternatively, one could look at the details of the proposal, analyze how they will work in the real world, how they will and will not address the stated problems, and determine whether the bill does sufficient good to overcome any harm it does along the way, rather than evaluating it primarily on the basis of who is for and against it.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
So… If you and your significant other are arguing over whose family to go visit, the best possible compromise is to go somewhere neither of you wants to go? Uh… No.