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Cracks In the Wall

Posted by: Canyon Kyle on October 12, 2009 at 2:48PM PST

One thing seems to be pretty clear from the healthcare debate in Congress: Republicans have decided that saying “No” to Democratic initiatives is the best way to get back in power. You can see the 2010 TV ads already. “Democrats have had control of all three branches on government and they haven’t gotten anything done.” Of course that will hide the fact that Republicans stood in the way of Democratic proposals, but no matter, strategy is strategy.

There appear to be cracks in the “Just Say No” roadblock, however. Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican from South Carolina, co-wrote an Op-Ed in Sunday’s New York Times that supports climate legislation. (John Kerry was the other co-writer, and his name is on the current Senate bill.) The piece provides some hope that at least some Republicans will join Democrats in passing the Clean Energy Act. And climate bill supporters do not need that many Republican votes. Of more importance is that if a few Republicans vote for the bill, they will give cover to moderate and conservative Democrats who are worried about the next election.

While the Op-Ed is welcome news to anyone who thought that the GOP wasn’t ready to give an inch to Democrats this session, it does show the price of cooperation. The two Senators strongly endorse nuclear power and clean coal as part of the solution to climate change. This, no doubt, was added to gain support from moderate Republicans. The questions is: does that compromise demonstrate the power of bipartisanship, or the folly of working hard to mix oil with water?

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(1) Comments

Posted by: MizMarcy on October 12, 2009 4:19PM PST

Great question. I can't answer it at all but do remember from Obama's address, Graham was caught on camera nearly clapping and then trying to cover up his approval of the President by strangely rubbing his hands together and looking away. Perhaps he is changing his Republican ways for good? Time will tell...