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This is a bad idea and I’m going to explain why I’m way too much detail
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In 2009, Rahm was Obama’s Chief of Staff
Dems just won control of the Senate & White House & had flipped the House years earlier
Even though they had a majority in both chambers, Obama made clear he wanted bipartisan deals & most GOP congressmen were okay with that!
Dems just won control of the Senate & White House & had flipped the House years earlier
Even though they had a majority in both chambers, Obama made clear he wanted bipartisan deals & most GOP congressmen were okay with that!
Reminder, we had 8 years of the Iraq War, a massive deficit caused by GWB’s Tax Cuts, & the economic recession of 2008.
Even though D’s had a majority in both houses, Obama wanted a solution that involved both sides of the aisle (which seems fair for a newly elected President)
Even though D’s had a majority in both houses, Obama wanted a solution that involved both sides of the aisle (which seems fair for a newly elected President)
Days after Inauguration, the first House bill (H.R. 1) was ready to be voted on in the house.
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 was a stimulus package to help combat the Great Recession.
Seems like a home run, so far yeah?
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 was a stimulus package to help combat the Great Recession.
Seems like a home run, so far yeah?
Following the inauguration, Obama & Emanuel wanted a “big win” on their first piece of legislation so they invited GOP congressmen to the White House to discuss the bill as it was being drawn up.
One of these congressmen was Republican Eric Cantor, the House GOP Whip.
One of these congressmen was Republican Eric Cantor, the House GOP Whip.
As the House GOP Whip, Cantor wielded enormous influence over the Republicans in the House, as Whips are in charge of tracking how each member will vote.
At a meeting with Obama, Cantor proposed a list of Tax Cuts that the GOP would agree to in exchange for their votes.
At a meeting with Obama, Cantor proposed a list of Tax Cuts that the GOP would agree to in exchange for their votes.
Obama agreed that even though they were all Tax Cuts, nothing that Cantor had suggested was “too crazy”.
However, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel reacted to GOP suggestions with a different attitude: “We have the votes. Fuck ‘em.”
However, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel reacted to GOP suggestions with a different attitude: “We have the votes. Fuck ‘em.”
H. R. 1 was introduced in the House, 3 days later, without any of the revisions Cantor had suggested.
Cantor. Was. Pissed.
Obama has been promising not to steamroll the Republicans with their majority, and here on the first bill of the term, they were planning to do just that.
Cantor. Was. Pissed.
Obama has been promising not to steamroll the Republicans with their majority, and here on the first bill of the term, they were planning to do just that.
So Cantor did what any good Whip would do: He got on the phones with member of the GOP House, and swore to Emanuel that H.R. 1 wouldn’t receive a single GOP vote in the House.
Rahm tried to call his bluff, again saying they could pass it without any GOP votes.
Rahm tried to call his bluff, again saying they could pass it without any GOP votes.
Just recap, this is the timeline so far of everything I’ve mentioned in this thread:
Jan 20 - Inauguration of Obama
Jan 23 - WH Meeting w/ Obama & Cantor
Jan 26 - H.R. 1 is introduced in the House
At this point, we aren’t even a week into Obama’s 1st term
Jan 20 - Inauguration of Obama
Jan 23 - WH Meeting w/ Obama & Cantor
Jan 26 - H.R. 1 is introduced in the House
At this point, we aren’t even a week into Obama’s 1st term
Emanuel told Cantor that he was delusional if he thought that H.R. 1 wouldn’t get a single republican vote. The White House was confident that at minimum they would get 30 Republican votes in the House.
Less than 24hrs later, they only had the possibility of ONE GOP VOTE
Less than 24hrs later, they only had the possibility of ONE GOP VOTE
By Jan 27th, Cantor had managed to convince every GOP House member but one (Rep Cao) to vote no on H.R. 1
Democrats had enough votes to pass it without them, but with no Republican votes, it would be a v partisan move & destroy any good faith Obama had with the GOP
Democrats had enough votes to pass it without them, but with no Republican votes, it would be a v partisan move & destroy any good faith Obama had with the GOP
H.R. 1 was put up for a vote on January 28, 2009
In the end, Cao ended up siding with his party, meaning every single vote to pass this bill in the House was by a Democrat.
Rahm gambled big time with Obama’s 1st Bill, and effectively killed any bipartisan cooperation.
In the end, Cao ended up siding with his party, meaning every single vote to pass this bill in the House was by a Democrat.
Rahm gambled big time with Obama’s 1st Bill, and effectively killed any bipartisan cooperation.
Even though H.R. 1 would become law, only 3 Republican Senators & no House Republicans would vote for it.
This is when the GOP realized that obstructing Obama’s agenda was their key to power.
This is when the GOP realized that obstructing Obama’s agenda was their key to power.
Rahm’s gamble with H.R. 1 led to increased partisanship & the organization of the Tea Party movement, which flipped the House for the GOP in 2010 until 2018.
In 2014, GOP flips the Senate & Mitch McConnell becomes Senate Majority Leader, allowing him to steal a Supreme Court seat in 2017 and open a multitude of federal judge vacancies that are later filled by Trump.
With the Senate blocking judicial appointments, and the House spending countless hours & investigations into Benghazi to smear Clinton’s electoral chances, they manage to tip the scale enough for Trump to win the presidency in 2016.
Is all of this Rahm’s fault? Of course not.
But “We have the Votes. Fuck ‘em” has cost us so so so much that Rahm should never be allowed into federal politics without all of us screaming about it.
But “We have the Votes. Fuck ‘em” has cost us so so so much that Rahm should never be allowed into federal politics without all of us screaming about it.
Democrats have learned nothin over the past 12 years.
Even if Biden wins, I fear at best that we just return to the same problems that the second Obama term ran into and at worst, we’re setting the stage for the next populist conservative to take over after Trump
Even if Biden wins, I fear at best that we just return to the same problems that the second Obama term ran into and at worst, we’re setting the stage for the next populist conservative to take over after Trump
