The myriad problems facing America will remain unresolved in 2010 if lawmakers in Washington continue to behave as Democrats and Republicans, instead of as members of Congress.
The most salient comment by President Obama in Wednesday night’s State of the Union speech dealt with that reality.
“I will not give up on changing the tone of our politics. I know it’s an election year … but we still need to govern,” Obama said. “To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve problems, not run for the hills. And if the Republican leadership is going to insist that 60 votes in the Senate are required to do any business in this town, then the responsibility to govern is now yours as well.”
The president referred to the party breakdown in the U.S. Senate, which now has Democrats with a 59 to 41 majority. In the Senate, it takes 60 votes to prevent the minority party from blocking votes on bills with a filibuster. In filibusters, the underdog party basically dodges the decision by talking nonstop.
The current situation in D.C. is not astonishing. Midterm elections are this fall, and historically the party in the White House loses congressional seats in those years. A president begins pushing an agenda forward, those unhappy with the changes get angry, natural disasters happen, tragedies occur, and controversies crop up. Suddenly, the newly elected president isn’t so popular, and his party pays for it.
That reality alone would lead current Republicans to ratchet up their resistance to Obama’s initiatives this year. But the historic victory by Republican Scott Brown in the race for the Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat previously filled by the late Edward Kennedy changed the game. If that heavily Democratic state can elect a Republican, then it could happen anywhere — and maybe everywhere — the GOP figures. Thus, posturing for this November’s election seems certain to saturate every significant decision on Capitol Hill.
In practice, Obama’s 2008 campaign promise to calm the partisan rancor that produces only incremental progress and lots of nasty barbs now seems to have backfired. Wooing conservatives angers the liberals in Obama’s own party. Centrist Democrats are cast as turncoats by the left, yet have their sincerity questioned by the right. If Obama stands his ground on an issue, Republicans lock arms in group defiance.
The politicians should remember, first, the election that put most of them in office — the one in 2008. Americans flowed to the polls in record numbers, hungering for an end to a dismal, painful era. The country voted for resolution and action on serious dilemmas. The worst recession since World War II was building up steam just as President Bush was leaving office. Wars raged in Iraq and Afghanistan. The financial and housing markets had collapsed. Home foreclosures had begun to soar. Unemployment was on its way to double digits, where it now sits. Health care, education and energy concerns were waiting to be addressed, too.
The nation voted for change, not the prevention of change. Veteran lawmakers now voicing cynical shock that long-festering problems haven’t been cured in the first year of Obama’s term are not solving anything.
In his State of the Union speech, Obama said, “I know there are many Americans who aren’t sure if they still believe we can change — or that I can deliver it.” That disappointment, in large part, is the responsibility of the 535 Americans who occupy the seats in Congress.
