I find it hard to say how the tone could say screw you when the statements aren't even directed at the theoretical "screwee". Harshly opposing something is only "screw you" to that thing. If I feel any "screw you" its from the Democrats for ramming this law through, they actually took controversial action, which is much more of a "screw you" than opposing change, but even from them, I don't really think "screw you" is a very accurate description of their attitude. They thought the plan was better for the country, the opposition thought it was worse. If anyone had a such a "screw you" attitude it was the special interests getting their desires added to the bill, but I think even they often actually believe the changes are helpful (which actually makes it worse, simple greed is more easily sated or deflected than greed combined with the belief that the greedy actions are good)
And the tone was mixed, not universally harsh or full of invective, and no more full of invective from the opposition than from the supporters. I know you say your comments are not about the R's relative to the D's but people's impressions are often formed by the relative comparison more than the absolute. While I am not prone to heavy use of invective myself, I think ramming through a plan like this is exactly what deserves it.
As for "obstructionist", I don't connect obstructing a bad law with "screw you" in any way shape or form. Its not a term I find useful in the first place. It has bad connotations, but either it covers good things (stopping bad policy), in which case the bad connotations are undeserved, or its use begs the question, assuming the other side is wrong.
And even though there are plenty of changes I'd like the government to make, I'd even go as far as saying that, lacking knowledge of the details or the implications and likely results of a particular congressional action, its a better, perhaps much better, bet that opposing it is a better idea than supporting it. So the whole concept that in general stopping such action is a bad thing is just bizarre to me. |
