Bi-partisanship Among Democrats

One of the major political developments of the last half-decade is the success of Democrats at capturing “purple” and even “red” districts that were once viewed as unassailably Republican.

From Arkansas to Wyoming, Dems now control turf where the population tends to be far more conservative and traditionalist than many of the party’s leaders.

What this means is that much of the “bipartisanship” in Washington occurs within the Democratic movement’s big tent.

You have fierce negotiations between leaders like Max Baucus and Chuck Schumer, men who’s political stripes are almost unrecognizably different.

A case in point is yesterday’s healthcare vote, where thirteen Democrats and one Republican in the Senate finance committee voted in favor of a reform bill.

That 14-9 vote win represents an effort at compromise that encompasses a huge swath of liberal, moderate and even center-right thinking.

So if the bill is a consensus bill, and largely centrist, why don’t more actual Republicans sign on?

I think there are two reasons. The first is politics. The GOP has made it clear that it sees healthcare as President Barack Obama’s “waterloo.”

Defeating him on this cornerstone initiative could weaken his entire presidency, derailing an ambitious and controversial agenda.

The second reason, though, is ideological.

As the GOP has dwindled in size, its surviving members are far more conservative than the traditional Republican of the past.

The party that once included Rockefeller-style moderates and Schwarzenegger-style pragmatists has largely evaporated.

It was significant a year or so ago when New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg canceled his GOP membership.

For many modern Republicans, government isn’t only a problem, it’s an evil — a force that erodes and degrades the quality of American life.

The idea that our elected officials might use government action to solve (or at least mitigate) a problem as large as the healthcare crisis is unacceptable to movement conservatives.

So long as Democrats hold large majorities in Washington, we will see most of the negotiations and compromises going forward occurring within their party.

In one sense, this is a good thing for our democracy. In 2010, Democrats will own health care reform — and likely some other landmark pieces of legislation.

Americans will have a clear choice between their leadership and the leadership of Republicans.