The Blame Game to Win Congress
In today’s Washington Post, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid argues, “it would take a real stretch” to place the blame of the country’s economic woes on him or the Democrats. Alternatively, Reid declares that it was the Administration of George W. Bush by stating, “I don’t have any hand in what took place during the Bush administration. I tried to rein that in.”
A quick point of clarification is the Democratic Party won control of Congress after the 2006-midterm elections and began governing as a majority in 2007. Moreover, the President (executive branch) merely “executes” the laws of the land, which are created, debated and passed by Congress (legislative branch), at least according to my professors in college and the United States Constitution.
Democrats are trying to place fault on former President Bush, but they are also trying to run away from President Obama and the Democratic leadership by avoiding the topics of “Healthcare Reform” and the “Stimulus Package” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine recently lambasted Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC 7) for his strategic distancing himself from Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Reid.
The Republican establishment, on the other hand, is keeping the Tea Party at arm’s length and trying to avoid the more “fringe” aspects of the movement. Republicans, like Rep. John Boehner, are trying to downplay the missteps of the Sharon Angle’s of the world to avoid having the Republican Party labeled as “kooks.”
At the end of the day, both the Republicans and the Democrats are competing for the “independents” and the only way to gain their trust is to show how horrible the other side’s legislation and policy ideas are for an independent’s prosperity. With campaign season in full swing, it will be very interesting to watch the campaign rhetoric heat up.
Does the perpetual blame game of politics hurt the ability to govern and create a general mistrust in our government? Will the Republicans ride the wave to a majority in Congress?
