Dakota Beacon

In the mid-1960s a psychiatrist named Dr. Eric Berne wrote a popular rendition of transactional analysis titled “Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships.” His special area of investigation was the dead serious little “games” we play with each other. What Dr. Berne described were not “fun” games, but neurotic rituals in which satisfaction is gained by some people at the expense of others.

This holds true with the game of bipartisanship commonly practiced in the political area.

“Bipartisan” is defined as anything consisting of, or supported by, members of two parties, especially two major political parties. That is the definition of the word.

As practiced, however, bipartisanship is used as a public opinion weapon placed in the hands of the public in hopes of using them to beat an opponent into submission. What is said is one thing. What is done is quite a different matter. It becomes a semantic power game.

Words? Just words? Say one thing; do another. Bipartisanship, as used by Democrats like Senators Conrad and Dorgan and Congressman Pomeroy, simply means that Republicans must compromise their core beliefs to agree with Democrats. Never is there talk of bipartisanship with Obama and the Democrat majority acquiescing to Republican requests.

In May 2009 Republicans asked Obama to include them in discussions on health care. Obama’s response was to send Rahm Emanuel to Capitol Hill to write health care legislation with Democrat leaders behind closed doors shutting out Republicans.

Now, Obama wants a bipartisan meeting on health care legislation scheduled for February 25. The meeting will comprise twelve Democrats and nine Republicans.

There is a very good reason for Obama to call for bipartisanship now. In a congress mired in gridlock on every major issue, words like bipartisan give cover to the Democrat majority. Even with a super majority in congress the Democrats are fractured beyond repair. The House Democrats say “no” to Senate Democrats. Senate Democrats say “no” to House Democrats. Blue Dog Democrats say “no” to everybody. Obama’s problem is not the Republicans. It’s his own Democrats. Republicans can do nothing to stop a unified Democrat super majority.

Bipartisanship is a staged propaganda event, short and simple.

Congressmen Boehner and Cantor offered a cool response to Obama’s invitation in a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. The text included a series of questions. Here is the gist of the February 8 letter.

--Will the president make available to congress and all Americans any proposal at least 72 hours before a vote?

--Will the president take off the table any intent to rely solely on Democrat votes in order to ram health care through congress?

--Will the president invite officials and lawmakers from state governments to participate?

--Will discussions include experts from the Congressional Budget Office and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid who have determined that current proposals will raise costs, just the opposite of Democrat claims?

Obama’s call for bipartisanship is imaginary transparency. He does not care about Republican ideas. He has called for a bipartisan meeting for two reasons. First, at long last he will fulfill his promise to televise health care negotiations on C-SPAN. Second, he can use the edited transcripts in November to produce campaign propaganda TV commercials supporting Democrats against Republicans.

Bottom line: Survey after survey reveal that Americans don’t like what they see of health care legislation. Most wish the process would start over with a level playing field, not merely be tweaked in bipartisan meetings. President Obama and the Democrat congressional leadership want proposed health care legislation left in tact and have said so.

By trying to force health care on an unwilling America the Democrats, at their peril, are governing against the will of the people. They play a dead serious game in doing so.

And this gripes fair-minded Americans.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).