Is bipartisanship already dead?
What the party-line House vote on the stimulus says about cooperation in the Obama era
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The post-partisan era may have ended before it really began, said USA Today in an editorial. Democrats in the House wanted more spending in the economic stimulus package; Republicans wanted more tax cuts. "The Democratic majority refused to yield, so the Republicans all voted no," and the "same, tired partisanship" prevailed.
Republicans on Capitol Hill must be meeting in a "sound-proof room," said Eugene Robinson in The Washington Post. Americans have said loud and clear that the GOP's "familiar formula"—more tax cuts, fewer spending initiatives—"has already taken us as far as it could." If Republicans in Congress keep this up, they could "end up losing their jobs."
Maybe it is time for a GOP furlough, said David Harsanyi in The Denver Post. The House passed "the most expensive social experiment in history" after a single day of debate, and President Obama, for all his promises of bipartisanship, couldn't get a single Republican to vote with him. Despite the president's polite hat-tip to Republican concerns, "it's back to one-party rule."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What a "missed opportunity" for Obama, said Peggy Noonan in The Wall Street Journal. This isn't a good bill, and the vote—while a short-term win for the administration—only shows that "the old battle lines are hardening. Back to Crips versus Bloods. Not very inspiring."
Don't give up on bipartisanship just yet, said Christopher Beam in Slate. Republicans were just playing "good politics"—they showed they "can't be persuaded by charm alone, presidential or otherwise." Plus, they insulated themselves from blame if the stimulus fails. Yes, they looked stubborn by playing "hard to get," but "there will be time for bipartisan necking later."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Today's political cartoons — October 1, 2023
Sunday's cartoons - retail theft, Bob Medendez's bribery charge, and more
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: October 1, 2023
Daily Briefing Government shutdown avoided as Congress passes temporary funding bill, Supreme Court to begin new term as major cases await, and more
By Justin Klawans Published
-
6 thrilling reads chosen by Ken Follett
Feature The historical novelist suggests works by Frank Herbert, Charles Dickens and more
By The Week Staff Published