Reader's view: Republicans to blame for Washington gridlock

The notion that both political parties share equal blame for Washington gridlock is simply nonsense. Just compare the last two times a new president was elected.
In 2000, George W. Bush lost the popular vote but was put into office by the Supreme Court. Democrats felt cheated, but they still clung to the quaint notion that a newly elected president deserves a decent chance to implement the policies on which he campaigned. Bush got a free hand in foreign policy. He got significant across-the-aisle support for his domestic programs like tax cuts, No Child Left Behind and Medicare Part D. Many Democrats believed these policies to be deeply flawed. But they put country above party and tried to make them work, despite knowing that Bush would get political credit.
Contrast that to 2008, when Barack Obama won decisively. What kind of cooperation did he get? Incredibly, his birthplace and even his religion were questioned amid a torrent of personally insulting disrespect that continues to this day. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said his most important objective was to make Obama a one-term president. The Affordable Care Act was termed socialism and received not a single Republican vote even though it was modeled on a successful Republican plan. Republicans shut down the government for a time and threatened to default on government debt, ignoring the catastrophic consequences. Other important initiatives frustratingly were stonewalled because Republicans seemed to prefer denying Americans needed services to allowing Obama credit for anything. Obstruction was carried to an unprecedented level and became standard operating procedure.
Gridlock is a cynical and shameful Republican political tactic designed to discourage voting and foster disdain of government. Today’s GOP does not seem to understand that blind hatred of Obama is an agenda unworthy of a great American political party.
James J. Amato
Duluth