Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Yesterday’s bomb shell announcement by Evan Bayh sent ripples through both political parties. For the Democrats, it spelled yet another questionable seat up for grabs since Bayh was some 20 points ahead in polls. For the Republicans, the announcement meant greater potential to pick up yet another seat in the mid term election.
Neither party should be setting off fireworks. Bayh had the following to say, according to the Guardian:
“There is too much partisanship and not enough progress – too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving. Even at a time of enormous challenge, the peoples’ business is not being done,” he said.
He further added according to MSNBC:
“There’s just too much brain-dead partisanship,” Bayh said in a nationally broadcast interview Tuesday. He said the public will continue to harbor hostile feelings toward Congress “until we change this town.” He also said that “the extremes of both parties have to be willing to accept compromises.”
Bayh denied an interest in running for president in 2012 either as a Democrat or independent. Asked on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ if there were any chance he would run, Bayh said, “None, whatsoever.”
But he also said the American people could deliver “a shock” to Congress by voting many incumbents out if the institution doesn’t curb its divisiveness. Bayh said voters could simply decide they want to vote out people they believe are too partisan and said Congress should change its rules of operation “so that sensible people can get the job done.”
Republicans shouldn’t be cheering.
Republicans saw a more partisan motivation in Bayh’s departure.
“The fact of the matter is Senator Evan Bayh
and moderate Democrats across the country are running for the hills because they sold out their constituents and don’t want to face them at the ballot box,” Michael Steele, chairman of the national Republican Party, said in a written statement.
Michael Steele doesn’t get it either. He should because he will get kicked to the curb fairly soon by his own party. Another person who doesn’t get it is Scott Brown, still basking in the after-glow. He has served his purpose which was snagging the ‘Kennedy seat.’ He too will either need to go radical or get kicked to the curb.
Actually both parties should start taking a good look in the mirror. The rancor, stubbornness, the nastiness are so excessive now I have to keep the news off during the day. Moderate Democrats and Moderate Republicans are being drowned out by extremists in both parties. Bayh is right. Why do something you don’t have to do. He comes from a political family. His father, Birch Bayh had a long, distinguished political career. Evan Bayh has always been seen as a moderate who could work with both sides of the aisle.
There is no room for discussion when ideas and idealogy are so politicized. Those who attempt to reach out and take a moderate position are savaged and vilified by the extremists. Good for Bayh. I wish him well.
Sorry about the blank boxes in the above post. Removal became too problematic. Easier to apologize than to put the post up again.
“(The spirit of party) serves always to distract the public councils
and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community
with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity
of one part against another; foments occasionally riot and
insurrection.”
George Washington
Farewell Address, 1796
It would’ve been better to thank Bayh for his faithful service and let the matter go without Steele’s comment. Especially since the same (voter anger) could be directed at the GOP for mass spending and intrusions on civil liberties.
Fare well, Senator.
I doubt he cares too much about what I think, marin. Both parties are guilty of extremism and obstructionism. Both need to be called out for it.
Very much agreed. That’s actually why I like the TEA party – because they’re shaking the trees and forcing deadwood from both parties out.
Do you not see some of the Tea Party as extreme? Even the people I know personally who would attend Tea Party events are far more to the right than my politics.
The further left or right one is, the less chance of compromise and reaching across the aisle.
I don’t see them as extreme.
Some people say I’m right, some say I’m *FAR* right and then again I still have people calling me a pinko lefty. /shrug
I think they make a great point in that taxes are high, that government is doing too much, and that we’ve given up too many civil rights and liberties.
You have to admit that’s some awesome Jeffersonian thinking in the TEA movement. The Founders would be proud.
“The discontent in the Senate is not that we have been criticized or
been tarred by someone else’s brush. The problem is that we have
hurt America – quite intentionally we have hurt America, for the
purpose of getting ourselves elected.
We have told Americans that they should feel sorry for themselves.
We have told them we can give them something for nothing.
We have told them we can reduce taxes and increase benefits
and the numbers do not add up, but people want to believe that
this is not a problem.
If only corrupt people were not around, this problem would go away.
If only incompetent people were not around, this problem would go away.
If only we didn’t pay members of Congress so much, that would free
up the money and we could have everything.
If only we did one thing or another, we would be able to spend more on us
AND pay less taxes.
It is a fraud! I hope there are still a few of us who will be willing to tell the
truth and make some hard votes, even if we lose. If we cannot get reelected
on such a basis, what is the point of serving?”
Senator John Danforth (R) Missouri (Retired 1995)
Statement on the Senate floor, 1991
Marinm,
One could argue that the Tea Party movement is based on
Jacksonian beliefs even more than Jeffersonian.
@Poor Richard
Yup, on certain platforms I can see that. Point taken.
I would say Jacksonian beliefs also.
Marin, I don’t see one pink bone in your body. I would be the first to tell you if I did.
Is your moniker supposed to have an M after it?
@Moon-howler
Jacksonian = Father of the Democratic Party = More Dems should become TEA partiers! 🙂
Yes, the handle that I’m using is a modification of my real name. Many people have figured it out so I get emails and phone calls directly because of it.
About the pink — thanks!! I think. Because I’m pro-choice (even though as a human being it makes me sad) I’m called a lefty at times.
While I do not support gay marriage I can see civil unions being an alternative. Maybe not in Virginia but in states that choose to adopt it. Aside from that I don’t have issues with the LGBT community.
Church is seperate from the State. While we must always understand the importance that religion plays in society – the government itself is agnostic. However, I don’t side with those that would want to remove religion from every avenue of our lives just to live thier lives without religion. Sorry, I might not like a peace-sign but that doesn’t mean I can tell someone to take it down.
Govt should have very little interference in a man’s (or a woman!) life – afterall governments are just for getting in a man’s way.
Actually, being pro choice can be rather conservative. People don’t seem to understand that part of it. I don’t think govt. ought to be in the marriage business so I am perfectly happy with civil unions for everyone. I have strong beliefs about the separation of church and state. On the other day, I am not going to be howling off into the sunset because Moses is on the Supreme Court building, or Godess Virtue is stomping the tyrant. I don’t mind money having In God We Trust on it, although I see no point in it. Those things are traditional. As for the Pledge of Allegiance having ‘one nation under God’ in it…That’s new, relatively speaking. I am not so sure that isn’t the camel’s nose getting under the tent.
If you are concerned about your name you are welcome to change it. Just let me know.
Thank you for the offer. Nah, I’m fine with it.
If I say something I have no problem with people knowing it was me. Just not gonna make it TOO obvious for people that can’t do the homework. 😉
And Godess Virtue stomping out the tyrannt is one of my favorite symbols of Virginia.
@Moon-howler
“That’s new, relatively speaking. I am not so sure that isn’t the camel’s nose getting under the tent.”
If it is, it is the slowest camel ever. 🙂 The words were added, albeit after my birth, in 1954. That’s about 56 years for that rascally camel. 😉
Rez, must you remind me? To me, if something happened after 1950, it is relatively new, rather than being tradition. 1962 was the Supreme Court decision ending school prayer and other forms of government sponsored prayer. That was sort of my frame of reference for the ‘newness’ of the words. 8 years isn’t long at all. 😉
yeah, but it was inspired originally from the Gettysburg Address. Now that is contemporaneous for us both.
No relevancy here. 😉
I cannot help but wonder if there might be something hidden way down under the surface in this Bayh decision. It has a ring of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” to it; but the logic doesn’t fit here, especially given his good personal re-election prospects. One would think that a senator of his reputation and family background might choose to make a fuss and try to change the way the Senate is operating from the inside rather than just flee the coop with a public scolding of his colleagues. And he couldn’t have put a bigger shiv in Obama’s back at the wrong time vis-a-vis the 2010 election scenario. Well, maybe it’s a sort of self-sacrifice for the common good; but I still have my suspicions. Hope I’m wrong because we sure don’t need any more of that stuff, whatever side you are on.
Well, Wolverine, certainly not seeking reelection is more dramatic than just another senator beating his breast saying we need to do a better job. I think he was trying to put an exclamation point onto the issue.
kind of a wake-up call to all parties.
Perhaps, Rez. But you know this town. Try to make a statement, you get a brief flash of news, and it’s back to business as usual. Memories can be short around here sometimes, especially when ideological stubbornness is the entree du jour. I’ll believe that Bayh’s move was effective when Nancy Pelosi throws the House Repubs a big kiss and coos: “Let’s sit down together and work something out here that satisfies everybody.” Meanwhile, if the Dems lose big in November, the knives of bitterness will be out for Bayh, inter alia.