A Gannett News Service article in the Fort Collins Coloradoan and an editorial in The Gazette of Colorado Springs uncritically repeated GOP talking points about the new congressional Democratic majority's supposed lack of bipartisanship. The January 6 Gannett article published in the Coloradoan reported the comments of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO), who claimed that “the Democrats have refused to take any input from Republicans on ... important policy matters” and that she hopes the Democratic leadership will change its “go-it-alone attitude.” Similarly, the January 7 editorial in The Gazette criticized Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for accepting her position as House speaker “in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship” while attempting to pass the Democrats' First 100 Hours legislative agenda.

Musgrave's and The Gazette's criticisms echo a recent GOP strategy, which The New York Times reported on January 3 when it detailed “an orchestrated [Republican] campaign ... to pressure Democrats to allow full committee review” of their First 100 Hours legislative agenda. Furthermore, both The Gazette editorial and the Gannett article in the Coloradoan ignored that, in 1995, Republicans broke the pledge they made in the "Contract with America" to have a “full and open debate” on each of the contract's elements so they could fulfill another promise: acting on the entire contract within the first 100 days of their majority.

As the Times reported on January 3, “House Democrats intend to kick off their new regime with a 100-hour legislative blitz that would allow them to post a series of quick victories before President Bush even delivers his State of the Union address toward the end of this month.” The Times further reported:

At the same time, House Republicans, forced to the Congressional sidelines for the first time in 12 years, were growing increasingly agitated about the Democratic timetable. They said that the rush by Democrats to force through legislation on national security, the minimum wage, student loan costs and energy without a full slate of hearings -- and with limits on the ability of Republicans to offer alternatives -- undercut the pledges of Democrats to run things in a more transparent, collegial way than the Republicans had when they were in power.

Echoing Republican complaints, the Gannett article published in the Coloradoan reported on “Democratic leaders' promises to operate Capitol Hill in a more bipartisan fashion” before noting that “Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave is skeptical that Democrats will stick to their word.” The article, by Faith Bremner, quoted Musgrave as saying:

“I am very disappointed that the Democrats have refused to take any input from Republicans on these important policy matters,'' Musgrave said in a statement. ”I hope their go-it-alone attitude will change. Only time will tell."

[...]

“Coloradans are interested in improving their daily lives, not who is the Speaker of the House,” Musgrave said, a reference to Thursday's election of Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as the first female speaker.

Similarly, in its editorial -- “The opening act: Will Democrats behave responsibly or run amok?” -- The Gazette asked, “Are these really 'new Democrats,' changed and chastened by years of wandering in the political wilderness, or a Mongol horde, bent on exacting political payback and sacking what's left of imperial Rome?” The editorial continued:

Pelosi seems to think she was crowned empress, given the multi-day celebrations that were held in her honor, complete with a pilgrimage to the capital city by the usual gaggle of leftwing celebrities. And it's obviously gone to her head.

She called her election as speaker “a moment for which we have waited more than 200 years. Never losing faith, we waited through the many years of struggle to achieve our rights,” she said.

Yes, Nancy, it was all so you could be the next Denny Hastert. Then she declared -- also rather regally -- that half a dozen major bills be rammed through by the new Congress in the “first 100 hours,” without hearings, a Rules Committee vote, an opportunity to offer amendments or any of the other niceties of representative government. This, just moments after saying that she accepted the gavel (or was it a scepter?) “in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship.”

As Media Matters for America noted, Republicans reneged on their “Contract with America” promise in 1995 to “bring to the House Floor” 10 specific measures, “each to be given full and open debate, each to be given a clear and fair vote and each to be immediately available this day for public inspection and scrutiny,” according to an April 9, 1995, Washington Post article (accessed through the Nexis database).

As the Times reported on January 3, “House Republicans, who were not known for giving Democrats much say on legislation when they ran the House, began an orchestrated campaign on Tuesday to pressure Democrats to allow full committee review of the 100-hour legislation.”

Media Matters also noted that when the Republicans took control of Congress in 1994, former House Rules Committee chairman David Dreier (R-CA) argued that procedural methods that disadvantage the minority party were required to govern as the majority party. The Post reported on June 16, 2003, “In an interview, Dreier said he 'learned quickly' that running Congress as the majority party requires some of the same procedural tricks he complained about a decade ago.” The Post quoted Dreier as saying, “I was bellyaching. I had not known what it took to govern,” and that now “our number one priority is to move our agenda ... with one of the narrowest majorities in history.” The article also reported rules crafted by Dreier's committee for the consideration of bills on the House floor often excluded Democratic input:

On many high-profile issues, Dreier, whose committee decides the rules for each debate, has refused to allow Democrats an opportunity to offer a substitute amendment on the House floor. He has infuriated Democrats by denying them votes on their plans for everything from unemployment insurance to tax cuts.

[...]

Republicans have used the Rules Committee to block Democrats from offering more generous unemployment benefits to a bigger pool of workers, greater homeland security funding and smaller tax cuts.

On the subject of bipartisanship, both The Gazette editorial and Gannett article in the Coloradoan also failed to note the outgoing Republican leadership's decision to ignore several government spending bills for fiscal year 2007 (which began on October 1) in the lame-duck session, placing the burden on Democrats, who took control of Congress on January 3.

The Associated Press reported (accessed through the Nexis database) on November 20 that “Republicans vacating the Capitol are dumping a big spring cleaning job on Democrats moving in,” and that “GOP leaders have opted to leave behind almost a half-trillion-dollar clutter of unfinished spending bills.” According to a November 29 Post article, GOP “rebels” in Congress “announced their intention to block all spending bills from advancing -- even one that financed veterans benefits and military housing.”

From the January 6 Gannett News Service article, “Lawmakers greet new Congress: Musgrave conveys disappointment, hope in statement,” by Faith Bremner, in the Fort Collins Coloradoan:

Colorado's two senators greeted the new Congress with high hopes that they can accomplish a lot in the next two years, thanks to Democratic leaders' promises to operate Capitol Hill in a more bipartisan fashion.

But Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave is skeptical that Democrats will stick to their word.

During their first week in power, House Democrats decided not to take Republican input on their “First 100 Hours” legislative agenda so they could move it more quickly.

The agenda includes increasing the minimum wage, boosting federal support for embryonic stem cell research and slashing interest rates for student loans.

“I am very disappointed that the Democrats have refused to take any input from Republicans on these important policy matters,'' Musgrave said in a statement. ”I hope their go-it-alone attitude will change. Only time will tell."

Still, Musgrave said she's prepared to work with members of both parties to help the 4th Congressional District, which includes Fort Collins and much of Northern and Eastern Colorado, especially on legislation to reauthorize the Farm Bill and to help small businesses.

“Coloradans are interested in improving their daily lives, not who is the Speaker of the House,” Musgrave said, a reference to Thursday's election of Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as the first female speaker.

From the January 7 editorial, “The opening act: Will Democrats behave responsibly or run amok?,” in The Gazette:

Pelosi seems to think she was crowned empress, given the multi-day celebrations that were held in her honor, complete with a pilgrimage to the capital city by the usual gaggle of leftwing celebrities. And it's obviously gone to her head. She called her election as speaker “a moment for which we have waited more than 200 years. Never losing faith, we waited through the many years of struggle to achieve our rights,” she said.

Yes, Nancy, it was all so you could be the next Denny Hastert. Then she declared -- also rather regally -- that half a dozen major bills be rammed through by the new Congress in the “first 100 hours,” without hearings, a Rules Committee vote, an opportunity to offer amendments or any of the other niceties of representative government. This, just moments after saying that she accepted the gavel (or was it a scepter?) “in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship.” It was an act of arrogance that would make Tom DeLay proud.