To comment on George the Second - why would a populist president ever try to crush his opponents when they make mistakes and crush themselves?  The Republicans are floundering for a stance and have only come to the same old sorry argument about the evils of socialism and the inevitability of communism.  They fail to recognize the dangers and inherent lack of care under unchecked capitalism - and the two major economic collapses that brought on the EVIL left wing who argued for a government that protected its people from employers who demanded 12 hours of work a day or sent you home without pay.  Just a year ago, republicans were railing against the health care system, and now they are afraid of losing it?

The real Republicans are remaining silent - hoping Obama fails within his own party so they don't look like petty squablers to their constituents, which is exactly why Snowe has done what she has done.  If the dems pull together, the Republicans will look like fools.  If the dems stay separated due to constituent fears over misleading comments from the Rove, Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck and O'Reilly cadre, then it will be a failure for the dems, and the GOP will look like saints in comparison.  Right now, Snowe is not the Republican party's problem.  Their problem and their task is to stay closed mouth, and appear bipiartisan until the Democrats schism on their own - or wait until the bill passes and then rail against it as unchecked government spending.  

Since the speech was a resounding success for Obama and the Dems - the Republicans can only wait to see what comes to the table.  If they balk, they appear partisan.  If they concede, they appear hypocritical.  Obama, as much as people want him to fail, is too savvy to go away without a victory, or at least a draw.  The only thing Republicans can do now is abstain or go along with him.  Obama doesn't need to crush his opposition - he has always let them crush themselves.  Look at the election with Clinton and McCain.  He's got health care reform in the bag - the only advisable thing the Republicans can do now is to keep their eyes open for the next battle and prepare - and find a leader who can outsmart Obama.  Won't be easy.  

WELL PAULEY

that is exactly what they are. They are not there to debate policy. They are there for one reason professor, to disrupt to interrupt, to prevent real dissent to be discussed.

So what are you talking about. You're an apologist aren't you? You would probably condone murder if a republican did it wouldn't you? Go bakc to your trailer sir, your kool aid is getting warm.

Let democrats worry about democrats. If there were more Olympia Snow's to negotiate with, that'd be great, but there are not. Snow is one of the 2 or 3 republicans in BOTH houses that speak intelligently and with purpose. It's been made absolutely clear that the only goal of elected republicans is the failure of PBO. Bipartisanship is like the Garden of Eden, yea sure, it'd be nice, but they are both fantasies.

Republicans must be treated like the political brownshirts that they've become. From the Town Hall Terrorists to the Hawaii Is Not A State Believers to the Death Panelists, the republicans who endorse and encourage this lunacy must be called out on it.

I know this admin prides itself on being more cerebral than the previous Kingship of George the Second, however they can take a page from that criminal administration. They absolutely crushed their political enemies for 6 years of the 8 year cabal.