When Republicans can work together with a minority of Democrats to kill gun-control bills, conservatives generally applaud. The most successful conservative legislation generally has a Democratic sponsor’s name on it. It is particularly important for Republicans to work with cooperative Democrats when they’re in the minority.
My friend Erick Erickson may or may not have legitimate complaints about the recent Senate Republican retreat, but he is attacking a Senate Republican aide, David Morgenstern (whom I have never met), for an e-mail he sent out before the conference. Here’s the e-mail:
As part of Sen. Alexander’s new duties as GOP Conference Chair, he’s collecting examples of legislation introduced by Republican senators that has bipartisan support. He was hoping to discuss these at next week’s GOP senators’ retreat. Today or tomorrow, can you email me 1-2 examples that your boss has introduced this Congress? Thanks!
Erickson says that we should “weep for the state of the party” when we read that e-mail. I don’t see his point at all.
Update: Erick responds. I agree with him that passing bills that have the support of a majority of Democrats is a) not worth doing for its own sake and b) probably not worth doing, period.