Bipartisanship, Redefined

In attempting to get Republican signoff on the bloated "stimulus" bill, the news media have been continually touting Obama's attempt at "bipartisan support."

Katie Couric noted how "the President went up to the Hill to personally appeal to Republicans already," so, she pleaded, "what more can he do?"

Well, his appeal has to be more than an effort to get those idealogically opposed to him to simply agree. As it was throughout his campaign, Obama's definition (and, therefore, the news media definition) of "bipartisan" consists of others dropping their own agenda and signing onto his. In this case, bipartisan efforts should not be confused with compromise.

I said before the election when it became clear that Obama would win and the Democrats would achieve their bulletproof majority that the Dems would have to truly own their decisions over the next few years. So far they seem wary of doing so, despite their public confidence in their policies. I can only assume that they believe, like many conservatives, that their strategies won't work. That redirecting money to long-term public works projects won't jump-start the economy. That many of their "stimulus" plans are simply welfare projects disguised as something else. There is no reason for Republicans to sign on to these ill-fated plans.

I just hope in four years that voters remember whose ideas these are and that the effort is in no way "bipartisan."