Mr. Hoyer’s frank acknowledgement that he had “demagogued” Bush-era debt-limit hikes, like the intense partisanship that has surrounded virtually every major Congressional matter this year from the stimulus plan to the health care overhaul, was illustrative of how the running battle for control of Congress is impeding cross-party cooperation.
Keenly aware from recent history that political missteps can cause big swings in the make-up of the House and Senate, members of the party out of power increasingly see little advantage in working with those controlling Congress to help them achieve victories that could come at the minority’s expense…
“Once you get in these battles where you break into camps, every vote is about the next election,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who occasionally works with Democrats on difficult issues. “As soon as the last election is over, those who lost are thinking, ‘What can I do to get back in power?’ and those who won are thinking, ‘What can I do to stay in power?’
“When you try to solve problems from the perpetual campaign mind-set, it is very difficult,” he said.
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