Newtonian Politics

Krugman's assessment of Repub behavior on the stimulus bill is right on target, per usual:

And the rhetorical response of conservatives to the stimulus plan — which will, it’s worth bearing in mind, cost substantially less than either the Bush administration’s $2 trillion in tax cuts or the $1 trillion and counting spent in Iraq — has bordered on the deranged.

I also think that Avigreen over at the Blue Mass Group has a handle on their strategy:

In 1993 and 1994, Newt Gingrich changed the way that the Republican party does business. Before Gingrich, there were policy differences, but strong working relationships allowed major legislation to move when Reagan and Bush Sr. worked with Democratic Speaker Tip O'Neill.

Faced with the election of Bill Clinton, Gingrich offerred a new approach designed to change the long-term minority status of Republicans in the House and Senate: fight President Clinton on everything.

And so it goes. What makes the situation more frustrating is Democrats like Ben Nelson getting suckered into collaborating.