To steal a phrase from CNN’s Anderson Cooper, the Democrats were “Tea Bagged” in the 2010 midterm election.  In the wake of that historic drubbing, the biggest since the days of Herbert Hoover, the left wing media in the form of the NY Times and others are doing their best to trivialize the defeat and demand that the Republicans in Congress “compromise” with President Obama on his agenda.  A recent NY Times editorial began by incorrectly assigning the economic downturn to President Bush rather than the Democrat Policies, such as the Community Reinvestment Act, Refusal of Oversight on Fannie and Freddie, excessive government intervention and Democrat disdain of traditional sources of energy-the cause of skyrocketing energy prices that lit the match to the economic fire leading to the financial crisis- all specific policies that caused the Financial and Economic downturn.  Democrats doubled down in the aftermath of the collapse with more misguided policy initiatives in an effort to “fix” the economy they destroyed, initiatives that introduced new burdens and uncertainties to the economy that are increasingly recognized by every economist as being responsible for worsening it, initiatives such as the Stimulus Bill, Bailouts, Obamacare, Financial regulations, and their looming cap and trade legislation.  While a separate NY Times opinion piece began by stating that Republican calls for repeal of Obamacare was a “non starter” and scolded that Republicans better not return to the gridlock of the 1990’s.  One must ask, what kind of spirit of “compromise” would label proposals as a “non-starter”?  My, look who is the “Party of No” now!

Regarding the 1990’s, aside from the famous government shutdown the media blamed entirely on Republicans when President Clinton’s refusal to sign the budget was equally to blame, gridlock was NOT prevalent.  Eventually President Clinton agreed to sign every element of the Republican Congress' Contract With America, including welfare reform, balanced budget, etc., which was not only positive for America but remains the only positive aspect of the Clinton Presidential legacy.  To his credit President Clinton was astute enough to embrace those Republican policies knowing his disciples in the media would demonize Republicans for the Contract while providing him with political cover and complete credit for the achievements it wrought.

Unfortunately, President Obama appears to sorely lack the astuteness or acumen that would lead him to such compromise, but rather his proven standing as an extreme Left wing ideologue will certainly lead to gridlock. The question for the media is; When the Republicans submit their bills and proposals and the Democrats who are the majority in the Senate subsequently kill them or President Obama vetoes them, will the media then resort to calling Democrats the Party of NO, or will the media accuse Republicans of partisanship, blaming them for gridlock?  If history is any indication, the media will absolve the Democrats and Obama of any blame and then demonize Republicans for their role in saving the American people from even more disastrous Democrat policies like the ones responsible for the economic and financial collapse from which we are still attempting to recover.