Jonathan Chait of The New Republic notes that Sen. John McCain’s promise to disrupt any kind of work in the Senate is an odd threat:

A couple points. First of all, the baseline of cooperation is already zero. McCain is presumably upset that Democrats are using budget reconciliation to amend some of the tax-and-budget features of the health care bill that’s already passed the Senate. But of course, total GOP opposition on health care is the reason Democrats are using reconciliation in the first place. Indeed, their leader has already boasted about his strategy of grinding legislation t a halt and opposing nearly everything.

Second, if we believe McCain and Graham, they’re saying that there are areas in public policy where Republicans would help make legislative changes that they believe would make the country a better place, but they are refusing to do so out of pique that Democrats employed a commonly-used legislative procedure. In other words, their own claim is that they are deliberately choosing to create suffering — not merely preventing legislation the Democrats want, but preventing legislation they agree would help people and would otherwise support — in order to punish the Democrats. This sounds like something the Democrats would accuse them of doing, not something they’d boast about.

Now, as it happens, I don’t actually believe that the Republicans are doing this. But it’s strange that the culture of “bipartisanship” is such that this is the kind of behavior elected officials would want people to think they’re engaging in.

This article appears in Mar 18-24, 2010.

Getting hassled by The Man Mild-mannered reporter

6 replies on “The Problem With McCain’s Health-Care Tantrum”

  1. “The Problem With McCain’s Health-Care Tantrum” (Posted by Jim Nintzel, this date)

    Not so fast, Jim Nintzel!

    Consider:

    John McCain’s chart-topping single “Bomb Iran”

    over at:

    and—

    John McCain Thinks War is A Joke – “Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran”

    swing that mousey thang over to:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2kyXN4ZVQg…

  3. I hate the way John McCain is behaving. I think he is still mad about not becoming President! Why else would this traditionally middle of the Road Maverick vow to fix the Democrats over this Health Care Bill. Since when did we become such a devided nation and since when did McCain become the Republican’s Lap Dog.

  4. Chait is dishonest in his first point when he implies that reconciliation will be used for budgetary fixes only, which would comply with senate rules. He proves it in his second point when he chastises McCain for refusing to help make POLICY changes that would “improve” the hopelessly flawed disaster of a bill. The reconciliation process has often been used in the past, but never in this way – ask senator Byrd, the author of the rule. I see nothing petty or odd about resisting the abuse of the reconciliation process that will violate the senate rules, and whose purpose is merely to provide cover for house Democrats, not “improve” this abomination.

  5. Jonathan: Chait is not specifically referencing health care in the second graph; he’s talking about public policy areas in general.

  6. McCain’s and the McArthur factor
    So here is John McCain the day after Congress passed the Healthcare Reform Bill telling the country how disingenuous of the Democratic Congress and how their rascality will put this country asunder when the Healthcare Reform Bill becomes law. Smug, cavalier and delusional he somehow convinces himself that his loss in November 2008 was really a “win” and that actually he and not the President, represents the heart and mind of the American people.
    I’m savoring these next seven months. I’m looking forward to his vociferous railing against the Healthcare Bill and against the Administration; I’m looking forward to his campaign night with Sarah Palin and his lampooning and sniveling about everything he can think of to tear down the Democrats and our President. It may just happen among the Republicans that he will skid by the Primary elections in late August and once again be its prime candidate. But surely by November his flailing and rancor will be so excruciatingly obvious when the country having had time to absorb and develop a clearer picture what Healthcare Reform will do for them, that there is a good measure of certainty that an Arizona Democratic Senator-Elect will be going to Washington next year. The difference between the two candidates will be the optimism and constructiveness of the new versus the destructiveness of the old.
    So John, please continue, with all your heartless and vicious rhetoric. In November it will be like the “Old Soldier” being called home from the Pacific and declaring in front of Congress that Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.
    Nico van Allen

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