For the Dems to accuse the Republicans of “holding the tax cuts hostage” misses the point – this is just congress doing business as usual.
We will never have good government as long as the practice, which I dare say has existed since the founding of this country, of loading up bills with many irrelevant parts. It may make for good politics, but it makes for bad government.
As in hypothetically adding “save the snail darter” to a defense appropriations bill.
Good government requires that Congress be able to vote on legislation. When irrelevant components are added to a bill, it is “holding hostage” the main parts of the bill to the irrelevancies. And leads to gridlock.
I am glad to see that A Pledge to America contains the following pledge:
Advance Legislative Issues One at a Time
We will end the practice of packaging unpopular bills with “must-pass” legislation to circumvent the will of the American people. Instead, we will advance major legislation one issue at a time.
This pledge needs to be put into action; each piece of legislation should be voted “up or down” on its merits.