Editorial: Republican obstructionism

Monday, Dec. 17, 2007 | 7:08 a.m.

In a bid to find issues to run on next year, Republicans have resorted to blocking bills in Congress and have set up a stalemate over the federal budget.

"You're fixing to see what they call a 'fiscal showdown' in Washington," President Bush recently told a group of businessmen.

The showdown is supposedly over fiscal restraint, but it is really a political maneuver by Republicans who are desperately trying to change their image before next year's election. After years of passing and approving budgets with record deficits, they are masquerading as fiscal conservatives.

Bush has vetoed a handful of important spending bills, claiming they are excessive, including a bipartisan plan to expand a children's health insurance program. And though he has derided the Democratic leadership in Congress for its alleged lack of action, Republicans in Congress have used parliamentary tactics and needless amendments to bog down work.

This is all part of a political act of desperation. With Americans dissatisfied with Bush's performance, Republicans are trying to divert voters' attention by trying to make Congress look bad. They hope voters will see it as a failure by Democrats, who have shown their frustration by pointing fingers at one another. Democrats have a healthy majority in the House, but work in the Senate has been slowed as Republicans have taken advantage of Senate rules and a Democratic majority that is too slim to override a Bush veto.

This year Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., told the congressional newspaper Roll Call, "The strategy of being obstructionist can work or fail ... and so far it's worked for us."

It has not, however, worked for America. People want government to work and were very clear about that in last year's election. Had Republicans been doing a good job, they would not have lost control of Congress.

The nation needs action in Congress. Republicans should be working with Democrats to find common ground on important issues such as education, health care and the economy.

Gridlock is hardly an issue for Republicans to run on. They have created animosity that voters will be hard-pressed to ignore.