Mitch McConnell Mails It In For Senate Republicans

What’s that sucking sound you hear?  It’s the air seeping out of what’s left of the GOP balloon:

The U.S. Congress’s most powerful Republican on Friday backed President Barack Obama’s call to set aside political differences and cooperate on efforts to revitalize the economy and resolve other issues.
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“People want their leaders to work together to solve problems, not to set traps,” McConnell said in a speech to the National Press Club. “The challenge now is for both parties to cooperate, not just in word but in deed.”
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McConnell said Obama may have what it takes. “Most people think that ideas should be assessed on their merits, not on the senator or the president who proposes them. Our new president seems to think the same thing,” McConnell said.

 Meanwhile, Obama is showing Republicans who’s in charge in Washington:

President Obama listened to Republican gripes about his stimulus package during a meeting with congressional leaders Friday morning – but he also left no doubt about who’s in charge of these negotiations. “I won,” Obama noted matter-of-factly, according to sources familiar with the conversation.

Don’t look now, but it looks like Obama has the Republicans in a box.  Leading up to the inauguration, the Obama transition deceptively built the facade of unity (dinner with conservative columnists) in Washington between the political parties.  And the liberal surrogates in the media played along, developing the bi-partisanship narrative that winds its way in the background of the debate over the stimulus and the TARP.  Now, any objection on the part of the GOP will be seen as obstruction.  The President and the Democrats will forge ahead with their massive government expansion and the Republicans will have to play along.  Any objection by Republicans will be seen as obstruction.  Any question as to the size of welfare checks tax cuts in the stimulus package or to the size of the package itself, will be seen as partisan.  With regards to the stimulus, the Democrats will need to make the effort seem bipartisan, as they don’t want to be the only ones on the boat when it starts to sink–even if they have to lie about it.

Maybe its just me, but its pretty obvious that Obama is playing the congressional Republicans like a fiddle.  And of course, the sheep in the Republican party don’t even realize it.  They’ve been getting ready to cave for weeks now.  Its been stated over and over again, how the Republicans are scared of confrontation, scared of being called racist, obstructionist, the party of no, etc.  Apparently it’s true.  How else do you explain the above message from Mitch McConnell?  In the wake of a disastrous election, after the GOP nominated the most moderate maverick as a presidential candidate, who’s strong point was to be able to reach across party lines and was at odds with the “conservative” President Bush; after the drubbing that establishment Republicans took in the 2008 election?  THIS is their response? More moderation? More backtracking?  A trillion dollar stimulus?  Sure, Mr. President, we’ll work with you on that!  Expanded, “efficient” government to work for the people? Sure, Mr. President.  Millions of dollars on contraceptives? Sure thing…

This is no longer merely about winning elections.  It’s about conservative principles and finding political leaders to carry them out, because the current batch of Republicans are not discernable from most Blue Dog Democrats.  Establishment Republicans have been crashing and burning in slow motion for the better part of a decade now.  I used to be one of those conservatives who believed that the GOP needed to “rebuild” on its way to some sort of victory in 2010.  It’s not even close.  It appears that GOP rot is worse than I thought, and the party is still getting rid of the excess waste of hubris, lethargy and a lackadaisical attitude towards anything even resembling a firm stance on anything.

For the silver lining on this gray cloud, Jules Crittenden notes that President Bush was just as brazen over his electoral victories, and still managed to blow his party’s majorities in Congress.  Crittenden makes a good point.  Obama could actually blow it by the midterm elections–I know he’s arrogant enough.  And I still have the suspicion that he and the Democrats will be branded with this gargantuan stimulus package (and TARP II) once it fails…and it will fail. 

Allahpundit thinks that the Republicans won’t play wet rag on Obama’s honeymoon–enjoying enormous favorable ratings in the polls and all the momentum in the world.  Politically speaking, a good move for Republicans perhaps.  But this approach doesn’t sit well with me right now.  There’s too much at stake here.

 (UPDATE)  Behold, the Party of Supplication

(UPDATE II)  No surprise here.  McConnell is proposing more Big Government to fix a Big Government debacle.  Like I’ve been saying, there’s no real leadership here with these DC Establishment Republicans.  There’s nothing about this plan that differentiates the GOP from liberal Democrats–get used to being in the minority.