PolSynth - Political Synthesis

One of the core issues facing the Congress in considering the passage of this bill is the need for there to be clear bi-partisan support for any plan. It is insufficient for any one party to comprise the passing majority with a bill of this magnitutue. If that were to be the case it would likely be used as a tool for division in the future because the other party would then be able to claim that the measures were rammed down their throats. More significantly, lack of broad-based, consensus-driven support for such a plan would undermine the confidence of global markets, Wall Street and the public in the plan. With financial markets, confidence is everything. So, the assertion that the Democrats should have been able to put this package through, while technically accurate, ommits the understanding that clear bi-partisan support was needed, and, in fact, seemed to have been acccepted earlier in the process.

The sight of House Republicans essentially saying that some of them didn’t vote for the bill because they were offended by Nancy Pelosi’s comments reminded me of little children pointing at each other and pouting. Barney Franks is right: for the Republicans to get upset and punish the country is shameful.

It’s interesting that McCain, earlier today, took credit for getting the bill worked out before we all found out that it wasn’t worked out. Wonder how we should interpret that…