They say we now live a "post-partisan" world.
The phrase implies that in 2009 we have all risen to a practical,solutions-based approach to politics that flies above your gardenvariety partisan rancor.
I'm not so sure.
If anything it seems like the political killing fields in Sacramentoand Washington, D.C. have grown even fiercer in recent weeks -- ifthat's possible. It seems that hope -- hope that meaningful bi-partisansolutions to the many complicated economic and social problems we facehere in California and across the nation's face have once again becomean early casualty of the rhetorical warfare being waged in the capitols.
In Sacramento, a small handful of Republican true believers continue tohold the state's budget hostage. These anti-tax apparatchiks haveeffectively used the state's arcane constitutional budget rules toblock the passage of the state budget -- a critically-needed financialblueprint for 8th largest economy in the world.
As these conservative politicos brag about how they're holding the lineagainst evil "tax and spend" liberals, real Californians are hurting.Construction projects lay idle, state employees have been put onfurlough and IOU's -- not real tax refund checks -- are being sent out.Meanwhile, without funds flowing from Sacramento, local governments arestarting to "brown out" fire stations and cut back on other essentialpublic safety services.
GOP extremism reached new intimidating heights recently when a sateRepublican Party official declared that any Republican lawmaker votingfor the Democratically-led budget plan should be publicly censured.C'mon, what's next? Tarring and feathering?
In Washington, Congressional Democrats have gone out of their way toinclude colleague Republican lawmakers in the negotiations for the $800billion economic stimulus bill -- a bill that President Obama and someof the best economists in the world say is needed to pull America's fatout of the financial fire.
But withthe exception of three brave Republican senators (who have thankfullyjoined Democrats to make the stimulus package bill filibuster-proof),the GOP has adopted a strategy that essentially forces Democrats tocraft, live and/or die with their own handiwork when it comes to thestimulus bill. They'd rather play to their limited constituencies thanroll up their sleeves and help craft a viable package that both sidescan live with.
And just like in Sacramento with the ongoing budget crisis, thearguments of the California GOP anti-tax zealots are ringing hollow,too.
Even Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger understands that California needs taxincreases and new sources of revenues if it has any hope of survivingthis mother of all economic storms. And, if Schwarzenegger, the head ofCalifornia Republicans, gets it, why can't these others?
Californians just want their government working with them -- notagainst them. They want their elected officials to get things done, notplay petty partisan games.
It would be easy and understandable to write off this polemic as somesort anti-GOP screed. It's not. If the shoe were on the other foot andDemocrats were playing the role of obstructionists, this writer wouldbe condemning them with the same vigor.
No, this polemic laments a new (perhaps re-animated?) era in Californiaand national politics when the art of civil political discourse anddebate has been replaced by a "take no prisoners -- it's all ornothing" ethos. It's not good enough just win the day on the merits andto lobby the most votes anymore. No, victory in politics these days ismeasured by how well you've crushed your "enemy" to his or herpolitical death.
Is it any wonder, given this attitude, that piqued Californians haveembraced the state's flawed ballot proposition system? At least theyargue, something -- anything -- is getting done. They'd be right, too.Thisweek promises to be a memorable one in both Sacramento and Washington.The huge stimulus bill may get a vote in the U.S. Senate and a vote mayactually be taken on the state budget.
Given what's on the line let's hope that the Republicans think moreabout the big picture, work with their Democratic colleagues and do theright thing for people that need their help now -- not later.
Jeff Mitchell is a Bay Area-based journalist and political junkie. He can be reached at j.edward.mitchell@gmail.com