Lamar Alexander: “You don’t make a deal with someone by continuously poking your finger in their eye.”

This article in the New York Times offers some insight into what may happen in the lame-duck session of Congress but is only of moderate interest. To sum it up, the article says "not much" and "it depends."  The most interesting thing in the piece is the quote from Senator Alexander.

Lame-Duck Session Is First Crucial Test of Breaking Gridlock 

 The threat of action by Mr. Obama on immigration is hanging over the lame-duck session — the 20th such postelection meeting since 1940. Even Republicans who say they want to find a way to work with Democrats and the White House to reach legislative deals say the president’s issuance of an executive order would endanger any chance of bipartisanship.

“You don’t make a deal with someone by continuously poking your finger in their eye,” Mr. Alexander said.

While some Democrats want the White House to wait until a spending bill is approved, party leaders in the House and the Senate support the president’s forging ahead with an executive order because they do not believe congressional Republicans are serious about moving forward and cannot overcome internal opposition.

Some Democrats assert that Republicans are looking for a reason not to work with the White House and will use an immigration order by Mr. Obama as an excuse for failing to deliver much in the new Congress. (link)