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David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.

  • October 4, 2007 7:44 AM

    Bipartisanship vs. Buypartisanship

    Glancing at the Wall Street Journal and then at the Hill Newspaper, it's hard to believe some people in Congress are professional career politicians...or maybe it isn't. Maybe it's just the difference between bipartisanship and buypartisanship.

    Here's the front page of the Wall Street Journal today on the national consensus against our current lobbyist-written, job-killing, wage-cutting trade policies:

    "By a nearly two-to-one margin, Republican voters believe free trade is bad for the U.S. economy, a shift in opinion that mirrors Democratic views and suggests trade deals could face high hurdles under a new president...In a March 2007 WSJ/NBC poll, before recent scandals involving tainted imports, 54% of Democratic voters said free-trade agreements have hurt the U.S., compared with 21% who said they have helped...While rank-and-file Democrats have long blasted the impact of trade on American jobs, slipping support among Republicans represents a fresh warning sign for free-market conservatives."

    Now here's the Hill Newspaper trumpeting a speech by Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to an assembled group of corporate lobbyists last night:

    "House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday night that he was committed to building bipartisan support behind trade agreements with Colombia and South Korea that are dividing his caucus."

    So to review - as polls continue to show bipartisan opposition to sellout trade deals among the general public, the Democratic House Majority Leader is working to build bipartisan support for sellout trade deals inside the U.S. Congress.

    This is the difference between bipartisanship out in America, and "bipartisanship" inside the Washington Beltway. Out in America, it means consensus among citizens, in Washington it means consensus among lobbyists and the politicians those lobbyists buy. Call it Buypartisanship.

    P.S. Stay tuned for my weekly nationally syndicated newspaper column out tomorrow on this topic and how it our government is now, rather viciously, trying to ram this buypartisanship down the throat of one of the oldest and most stable democracies in the Western Hemisphere.

    Posted by David Sirota
    Permalink | Comments (7) | del.icio.us | digg
    Tags: culture of corruption, free trade

Discussion

  • thoreau [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    What is it with dipsticks like Hoyer? Is there some way to register our 'annoyance' with him?

    Posted on October 4, 2007 10:14 AM
  • Frederick Johnson [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Buypartisanship - That's a perfect term to describe each of the two parties. See, on the social issues, they can stir up their bases and look "bold" and partisan. On the economic and foreign policy issues especially "free" trade, both parties are ironically in agreement ! The NEOliberals and the NEOconservatives are united in their abilities to LIE to the American people that their policies will benefit them when it fact, it's nothing but bribes for the wealthy/business elitists !

    Most of the 2-1 GOP voters voting no used to vote Democrat until the Democrats' support of NAFTA and subsequent major FT agreements became clearer.

    "What is it with dipsticks like Hoyer? Is there some way to register our 'annoyance' with him?" - thoreau

    The only I can see is wipe him out in the primaries itself and vote to replace him with a populist-leaning candidate.

    Posted on October 4, 2007 10:43 AM
  • thoreau [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    "The only I can see is wipe him out in the primaries itself and vote to replace him with a populist-leaning candidate." -- Frederick Johnson

    Incumbants like Hoyer are well entrenched in their home territoty, therefore hard to challenge... though I understand MoveOn is considering a primary challenge to some democrats. Not sure what their criteria might be though I suspect 'war supporters' might be on their short list.

    Posted on October 4, 2007 12:10 PM
  • Frederick Johnson [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    moveon.org ought to be challenging Hoyer, Biden, and the likes in the Democratic Party based not only on the war which they both support but on things like the Bankruptcy Overhaul bill that both worked hard as hell to get passed. With "Democrats" like these, the GOP can sit back and laugh at the "Democrats" for doing their DIRTY work. Sickening !

    Posted on October 4, 2007 1:57 PM
  • ewode [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    We need a progressive Czar to vent our wrath and our position. Why can't we get one of the populist candidates to front for us? Not having one makes us invisible. Blogging is the future of democracy, but it isn't now. Read Parity democracy available online for a touch of reality.

    Posted on October 4, 2007 3:53 PM
  • Oakland [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    DLC is buy-partisan, no doubt about that. I think they all need to be primaried and have their asses booted to the unemployment lines.

    Posted on October 5, 2007 4:10 AM
  • butte [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Hoyer is a dyed-in-the-wool Republi-lite sell-out. Maybe HE ought to be investigated.

    Posted on October 5, 2007 7:48 AM

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