Global Obstruction Pathology

Republicans are the party of "no."

They continue their opposition to health care reform and in recent days they've opposed net neutrality and, appallingly, protecting female workers from rape by their co-workers.  Before that, their opposition included clean air (cap and trade) and worker's rights (card check.)

I'm sure they'd like everyone to believe all this is principled opposition but I don't think so.  I think there's something in the human psyche which drives some individuals to opposition regardless of reality.  They can look at something, see it clearly and still take a counterintuitive position on it.

Let's call it Global Obstruction Pathology.

The party of no is full of individuals who suffer from Global Obstruction Pathology.  It's a willingness, maybe even a visceral need, to oppose anything which doesn't spring from their own self-interest.

Republicans know health care reform is necessary and long overdue.  They've said so and some have even admitted their party has been wrong in not pursuing it long before now.  They can't support it, though, because the Democrats want to do something about it now.

They know our environment needs protection.  It was their party, long-ago in the Nixon era, which created the Environmental Protection Agency.  You'd think they'd support "cap and trade."  It's a market-based solution to the pollution problem.  Republicans are supposed to love markets.

Their opposition to protecting women from rape by their coworkers is a mystery.  The 30 Republicans who opposed the Franken amendment to stop rape won't say why.  Maybe they just had to say no because of their GOP.