Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Sen. Lindsey Graham's bipartisan efforts bog down (UNDER HEAVY FIRE FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE)
Tribune / The Los Angeles Times ^ | 2010-04-28 | Jim Tankersley

Posted on 04/27/2010 9:27:53 PM PDT by rabscuttle385

The Republican lawmaker, under attack from both parties, backs off from efforts to work with Democrats on immigration, energy and Guantanamo Bay.

BY JIM TANKERSLEY

For months, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was one of the few Republicans willing to cross the aisle to work with the Obama administration on controversial issues. Now, he may be the showcase example of why bipartisanship is all but dead in Washington.

In the beginning, Graham's attempts to find compromises with Obama and Senate Democrats on immigration, energy and closing Guantanamo Bay looked like the best chance for a thaw in Washington's icy partisan environment. But now, under attack from colleagues and activists in both parties, Graham is threatening to chuck the whole effort.

That potentially dooms prospects for congressional action this year on energy and immigration, as well as the likelihood of widespread cooperation across party lines on most other issues.

From the right, Republican activists in Graham's home state have heaped scorn and censure on him. Fellow Senate Republicans, including party leaders, have left him to deal with Democrats on his own.

Meanwhile, from the other side, White House officials have criticized Graham's push to include what would have amounted to a new gasoline tax in the energy bill. Liberals have griped that Graham packed the bill with giveaways to industry; moderates say he hasn't delivered Republican support for the bill anyway.

Perhaps most important, Graham suddenly finds himself wrestling with the Senate's top Democrat, Harry Reid of Nevada, over a plan to fast-track the immigration bill. Graham says that by pushing immigration when it isn't ready and can't pass, Reid has jeopardized good-faith negotiations on immigration and energy in hopes of scoring cheap political points against Republicans.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Politics/Elections; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: capandtrade; democrats; grahamnesty; guantanamobay; immigration; lindseygraham; mccain; mclameslapdog; obama; reid; rino; senate; ussenate
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-56 next last

1 posted on 04/27/2010 9:27:53 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: upchuck; bcsco; HiJinx; gubamyster; steelyourfaith; Tolerance Sucks Rocks; AuntB; pissant; ...

fyi


2 posted on 04/27/2010 9:29:06 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
He comes off to me as "I'm so desperate to pass something major with my name on it that I will try anything"

I just get the feeling he is trying for a legacy play.

3 posted on 04/27/2010 9:31:43 PM PDT by 5thGenTexan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

When is he up for re-election?


4 posted on 04/27/2010 9:33:29 PM PDT by lacrew (Barack Obama is always the least experienced most condescending guy in the room. (Rush))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

When is he up for re-election?


5 posted on 04/27/2010 9:33:31 PM PDT by lacrew (Barack Obama is always the least experienced most condescending guy in the room. (Rush))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lacrew

2014.


6 posted on 04/27/2010 9:34:19 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Good catch. Ms. Graham is a loser like his best boyfriend in Arizona.


7 posted on 04/27/2010 9:34:37 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SaraJohnson
Ms. Graham is a loser like his best boyfriend in Arizona.


8 posted on 04/27/2010 9:35:37 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Ive said many times on here if the pols and SRM think the people were pissed over healthcare, just wait until immigration. Lindsey still doesnt get it.


9 posted on 04/27/2010 9:37:51 PM PDT by A_Former_Democrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lacrew

Why was he re elected 2 years ago. He’s been a Rino longer than that.


10 posted on 04/27/2010 9:38:10 PM PDT by CaptainK (...please make it stop. Shake a can of pennies at it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: A_Former_Democrat

I agree. This issue is even more volatile than healthcare, especially following healthcare. The Dems are about to light the fuse.


11 posted on 04/27/2010 9:43:09 PM PDT by Comparative Advantage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Graham’s biggest problem is the invention of the hidden camera.


12 posted on 04/27/2010 9:45:22 PM PDT by vbmoneyspender
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
That potentially dooms prospects for congressional action this year on energy and immigration, as well as the likelihood of widespread cooperation across party lines on most other issues.

Well, ain't that a friggin' shame?

13 posted on 04/27/2010 9:48:43 PM PDT by no dems (Palin / Rubio 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Poor wittle Windsey! All he wants to do is betray his constituents and those mean wascally Wepubwicans won’t let him!


14 posted on 04/27/2010 9:49:37 PM PDT by Redcloak (What's your zombie plan?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Would the good folks in SC please put this pathetic RINO out of our misery?


15 posted on 04/27/2010 10:11:01 PM PDT by 50cal Smokepole (Effective gun control involves effective recoil management)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CaptainK

Republicans closed ranks and no one would run against him that had the state wide recognition, funding and support.

Similiar to the bahavior of Republicans in Arizona (and some Tea party groups sadly). The difference is J.D. hates McCain with cause. Party pleas are ineffective with him. He has enough good will with conservatives (on immigration particularly), name recognition and of course nationally the financial support of conservatives that hate McCain to run a credibe challenge.

If Lindsey were up for re-election this year it may have been a different story.


16 posted on 04/27/2010 10:11:12 PM PDT by Soul Seeker (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

I remember driving through South Carolina when he was up for election last, his campaign ads stressed how conservative he was (it wasn’t hidden, the ads were something blatantly targeted to conservatives like “Lindsay Graham is a conservative, he supports conservative values.”) If he dances with the left, he should be noted as such and judged appropriately by the electorate. If he holds to the right, he should similarly be noted as such (and also judged appropriately by the electorate). With as much information as is available today, there is no way a sitting legislator at any level should ever be able to run from his or her record.


17 posted on 04/27/2010 10:13:43 PM PDT by jz638
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Lindsey must now be grilled by the electorate on his “gang of 14”. Obama is running rough-shod over America and could care less about his bi-whatever past.


18 posted on 04/27/2010 10:16:10 PM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress

>>> Lindsey must now be grilled by the electorate on his “gang of 14”

You mean the “gang of 14” that preserved the filibuster when dimwits were eager to throw it away ? That kept the only weapon a minority Republican senate had for the last year to prevent total dem rule by decree? You want him to apologize for THAT “gang of 14”? Somehow I don’t think that will make much trouble for Graham.


19 posted on 04/27/2010 10:36:21 PM PDT by tlb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
"That potentially dooms prospects for congressional action this year on energy and immigration,"

Oh please. For the sake of our country. Please let this be true!!!

20 posted on 04/27/2010 10:38:34 PM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican ("The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-56 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson