Lately I have been pondering intellectually about a common attack line used against Republicans in this election cycle and wondering if it even makes sense anymore. That attack line is the “Bush rubber stamp in Congress” mantra that took down 30 GOP incumbents two years ago.
Coming from a country with a parliamentary system, where legislators are expected, somewhat even encouraged, to vote the party line, I myself am not as flustered when my former Conservative MP votes 99% of the time with Stephen Harper, or my new Liberal MP votes 95% of the time with party leader Stephane Dion.
But something has been troubling me about all these attacks on “Bush Rubber Stamps” running this cycle. Guys like Gordon Smith and Steve Pearce, not to mention countless new GOP candidates (such as Hazelton mayor Lou Barletta) are running to serve out a new term in 2009, when Bush is completely out of the picture. So how could they be accused of being rubber stamps when the guy they are supposedly rubber stamping for will be pretty much gone by the time they take their oath of office?
It seems to make much more sense to accuse Democrats running this cycle of being potential “Obama Rubber Stamps” than anything else. Obama’s long coattails are expected by November to yield a massive gain for Democrats in both the House and Senate. A lot of those newly elected legislators are going to owe a lot to Obama.
What does that mean? President Obama’s going to have a lot of favors he can call in to get what he wants through Congress. How long do you think guys like Travis Childers, Heath Shuler, or Don Cazayoux can resist before voting for Obama’s agenda (some kind of new tax for example), thus giving their opponents ample reason to label them “Obama Rubber Stamps” in the 2010 midterm elections?
I highly doubt the netroots would appreciate having one of their favorite tactics thrown back into their face like that.
Well, that would be a nice problem to have.
Party-line discipline has NOT plagued the Democrats in recent years. The caucus is, and will remain, heterogeneous and difficult to whip into line.