Obama Spent Too Much Time Trying To Reach Out To GOP. A Bloody Stump Was All He Got.

[Orsino]

42. Laws generally don't get passed without them.

I don't think a president in his position should ever stop trying to reach out to them, depending of course on exactly what that entails. If he is ever to get laws passed that might benefit us, he is going to have to shame them enough to motivate them, while shaming them sufficiently little that they'll save face and allow themselves some minimal cooperation.

Bloody stumps are what they do. Giving up, however, is not an option for a president determined to pass even mildly progressive reforms. I expect him to continue reaching out, because that outreach is to the public as well as to the GOP.

Perhaps one day enough Americans will agree with the need for some real reform that the GOP will find it impossible to deny us. Until that happens, the president's outreach to Republican leaders hardly matters, and shouldn't be our focus. Every time he reaches out, he's pointing out their empty seat at the table, and keeping alive the possibility that one day we'll think enough of ourselves to demand they participate.