Chris and Joe's chat on "Hardball" appeared to be an attempt to show that in the past Democrats and Republicans worked together in Congress to get things done for the country and its people and that Republicans today have nothing to offer in the way of cooperation or policy. Of course anyone who follows our political system knows the problem today with Republicans did not start with the Tea Party, it actually started when Newt Gingrich became their leader in congress during the 90's. In fact President Reagan had a hand in that prior to Newt when he proclaimed "government is the problem".
Both Chris and Joe were promoting their new books during their chat and forgot history. Democrats in congress have always cooperated more with Republican administrations than Republicans in congress cooperated with Democratic administrations.
Joe served in congress from 1995 to 2001and supported the so called Gingrich revolution and signed onto the Republicans "contract on America" which America did not ask for. Joe also voted against the Small Business Job Protection Act and supported the impeachment of President Clinton over a sexual affair even though several Republicans in congress were having their own sexual affairs. The Republicans in congress when Joe was there acted against President Clinton just like todays's Republicans are acting against President Obama.
Chris worked in Washington also as an aide to Tip who was Speaker of the House for the Democratic party and often recalls how Reagan and Tip worked together. Joe spoke about how the Republicans worked with Clinton to balance the federal budget, but failed to tell the true story. The Democratic controlled both houses of congress in 1993 and passed President Clinton's deficit reduction and economic plan and not one single Republican in the U.S. House and Senate voted yes, they all voted no and predicted record unemployment, massive job losses, a failed economy and an explosion in the federal deficit. Of course they were all wrong and the people knew.
When Clinton's first balance budget and surplus came in at the end of fiscal year 1998 Clinton threw a party for the Democrats in congress. The Republicans in congress were not invited and their nose was out of joint because of that but the President reminded them they voted against his plan and did not deserve to be there. Republicans do have a history of trying to take credit for the good things that happen during Democratic administrations but it will not wash.
Chris and Joe seem not to have learned much about the Washington they worked in or the media they now serve in. They yearn for a return to the times between Ike and Reagan's year but have forgotten what has taken place between Reagan and Obama. This writer agrees with Chris and Joe that the Tea Party sucks and are a disgrace to our democratic system. But where have they been for the last four and a half years when the Republican leaders in congress promised not to do anything that would help President Obama move the country and its people forward, even after the second great Republican depression of 2008.
Seems like Chris and Joe forgot all about that.
This commentary written by John Lucia
