The New Definition of Bipartisanship

I thought I knew what bipartisanship meant, but ever willing to admit if I'm wrong, I double-checked with our friends over at the Merriam-Webster Dictionary...and here's what they said:

: of, relating to, or involving members of two parties <a bipartisan commission>; specifically : marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties <bipartisan support for the bill>

Yep...that's what I thought. I really just wanted to check for the "involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties" part, because watching recent events, you would think that the word bipartisan—particularly when used in combination with the noun "solution"—means "involving a compromise or concession on the part of the Republican Party in favor of the philosophies of the Democrat party."

I could have sworn that during the debates, Barack Obama promised that he was suddenly willing to work with Republicans to achieve a bipartisan solution. But since the election, while we hear conciliatory/flexible language from John Boehner, Saxby Chambliss and Lindsey Graham regarding revenue (even tax hikes), there is no indication of flexibility coming from the left. 

There must be a tax hike on the wealthy (the debate about whether a couple making upwards of $250K/year makes you wealthy or one of the evil "millionaires and billionaires" will have to wait until another rant), and there must be yet another increase in the debt ceiling, even though it was a concession on the debt ceiling last year that got us into this sequestration mess to begin with. 

Obama says, "Let's begin our work with where we agree," indicating that Congress should go ahead and pass legislation to "hold down rates on the majority of Americans." Oh, and they'll work on spending cuts later...after they raise the debt ceiling so they can spend more money.

And I some oceanfront property I'd like to sell you in Arizona...