As much as I see endless frustration of the actions of obstructionist republicans, I see a number of hidden opportunities. While I would enjoy very much watching them squirm as they receive a taste of their own medicine, I see an even bigger opportunity to split the republican party even further in 2010. I am certain that this opportunity far outweighs the temporary frustration that Mitch McConnell and his neocons will wreak.
Here's how we do it, and it serves as a beautiful repudiation of Karl Rove: We adopt and play ball with about 10% of the most moderate republicans. Choose ones that are in safe seats that we're unlikely to unseat and trade them extra latitude in earmarks and involvement in the process of crafting legislation. Get them to repudiate the neocon base once or twice and build up favors for critical votes. We remember that we only need to pass one cloture vote on universal health care.
By judicious use of moderate republicans, a surprisingly progressive agenda can be adopted; we can push republicans to the right or left. Just from today's news headlines: here here and here. (yes I am linking to FoxSpews, but even they are useful if we know how to wear our hazmat gear) It appears that we may be seeing this already inside the beltway.
Karl Rove's attitude was that he only needed to count to 51. We need to recognize that politics is both bipartisan and local. The key failing of Rove's strategy, more than anything else, was such utter alienation of liberals that on a local level we were unified against the republicans. We can do the opposite.
Take this as I mentioned earlier. What we earn with the tax credits we can use for real railway-infrastructure projects, rather than for wasted money. In this case, voting against significant tax cuts would ire many republicans, making the spin game harder. Peeling off only 3 or 4 republicans is plenty to make a cloture vote.
The stick, of course, it local politics. While moderate republicans can be bought off (in many cases for surprisingly little when it comes to reelection time), neocons and obstructionists can be punished the same way. All we have to do is tie legislation together that will be unpalatable for McConnell to vote against together with legislation he can't vote for. Then the fact that many conservatives actually believe in their talking points comes into play. While the democrat-haters will support their favorites because they are republican, the "true conservatives" will revile those same legislators for "violating their principles". The art of the no-win situation for obstructicons vs the win-win situation for moderates.
The cost of this approach is high in the short term. We have to put up with adopting the occasional piece of conservative legislation. What I find particularly heartening is that it appears that the 111th may be doing just that. I don't see many moves yet to isolate and limit the power of the obstructionists, but it looks like the groundwork is being laid. I wonder whether Oct 2009 will see some of those favors cashed in.
The key questions here are going to be patience, and a willingness to spend some hard earned political captital to fray the discipline of the republican party. Is it worth it? Are we disciplined enough to succeed?