I Do Not Believe That Word Means What You Think It Means

Steve Benen nails the GOP/Village Idiot definition of "bipartisan" cold (emphasis mine):

Karen Tumulty shares an important anecdote about negations over health care reform.

When Barack Obama informed congressional Republicans last month that he would support a controversial parliamentary move to protect health-care reform from a filibuster in the Senate, they were furious. That meant the bill could pass with a simple majority of 51 votes, eliminating the need for any GOP support for the bill. Where, they demanded, was the bipartisanship the President had promised? So, right there in the Cabinet Room, the President put a proposal on the table, according to two people who were present. Obama said he was willing to curb malpractice awards, a move long sought by the Republicans and certain to bring strong opposition from the trial lawyers who fund the Democratic Party.

What, he wanted to know, did the Republicans have to offer in return?

Nothing, it turned out. Republicans were unprepared to make any concessions, if they had any to make.

So far, we've seen quite a bit of this when the president and the shrinking congressional minority disagree. President Obama sought a stimulus package, for example, and hoped to win over Republicans with a healthy dose of tax cuts. What did Republicans respond with? Nothing, except a counter-proposal with nothing but huge tax cuts.

The president also wants health care reform. He doesn't want to curb malpractice awards, but he's willing to compromise and make concessions to win over Republicans. What is the GOP willing to compromise on? Not a thing. They want the folks who won the elections and are pushing a popular idea to move closer to them -- in exchange for nothing.

As Matt Yglesias explained, "I think it makes a certain amount of sense for a battered minority party to say to hell with bipartisan compromise, now it's your turn to govern by your ideas and pay the consequences when they fail. But that's not really what's happening here. Instead the minority whines that White House isn't doing enough to compromise, but doesn't actually want any kind of compromises."

Compromise is a two-way street. Time and time again Obama offers to do X or Y, and the Republicans respond by saying "Well, you're a bit closer to our position now. Keep going."

The Village is just as bad, all the screaming and pearl-clutching about sensible centrism that you hear from cement-headed old fools like David Broder, Charles Krauthammer, Ross Douthat, George Will, Cokie Roberts, etc. are just filled with this kind of nonsense. They keep saying how wonderful the universe would be if Obama stopped trying to do silly things like give 45 million Americans health care and instead just let the Republicans keep running the country with the great ideas they have had for the last eight years.

Bipartisan has always been code for "let the GOP win."

Only problem is, the GOP lost. So yes, after 100 days of the Republicans unanimously telling the President to go screw himself and his compromises, now Obama is playing hardball. And the GOP isn't invited.