On the short ledger which lists collaboration in Washington, our last two Speakers of the House, John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi, helped lead a brokered deal to get the “Medicare Doc Fix” passed. After the House overwhelmingly passed the bill, the Senate did as well, and the President signed the bill into law. This has been a sore spot for years requiring Congress to periodically amend how doctors treating Medicare patients would be reimbursed. The link below will delve into a little more detail, but know this significant show of bipartisanship is welcomed by many. This is how Congress used to act before things became too polarized with campaign rhetoric replacing actual facts to govern with.
And, this deal may set a trend at least for the next few days, with a deal that gives Congress the right to bless the deal with Iran on the nuclear talks, but in a way that gives the President the right to negotiate terms with the various partners. The President has said he will sign this bill, if passed. It came out of Committee with a 19-0 vote.
The next action would be the human trafficking bill which had been held up over some abortion language, but apparently the parties are close to an agreement. With that bill passed, Senator Mitch McConnell may allow the long overdue vote to confirm Loretta Lynch as the new Attorney General. She is well-qualified, but has been held up for this vote and since she could not find fault with the President’s immigration executive orders when questioned by the Senate Confirmation Committee (who did confirm her).
So, are the folks in Congress and Washington listening? This a welcome sign, but I won’t count my chickens until they are hatched. May the force (of collaboration) be with them. We need it greatly.
musingsofanoldfart 
Very hopeful news indeed!
Two times is a trend, so let’s see if they can start one.
So…now extremely skeptical me would like to know what the real motivation for compromise is…any backroom deals being made? What? Now? Why?
Raye, you ask the right questions. The Republican leadership of Congress wants to show they can govern, but they started out so horribly that the Wall Street Journal took them to task. So, I think they are looking for some common enough legislation to get some things through. Unfortunately, everything is political even when it looks otherwise. Good observation. BTG
Raye is absolutely right to be skeptical! Politicians are very good at distracting you with the left hand while they pick your pocket with the right: they always have a hidden agenda that is invariably self-serving.
Art imitating life in “House of Cards?”
I wouldn’t hold my breath, expecting that this is becoming a trend. The two sides are a canyon apart on a budget, and there remain countless judge positions open, some for several years.
You are right, but we should at least celebrate little victories.