The word compromise is in the air quite a bit. As we approach three years of what may be President Barack Obama\u2019s first term, we have learned that Republicans have very little interest in cooperating with Democrats.<\/p>\n

Among the ideas that have been tossed around to deal with deficit and debt problems is the establishment of watchdog bi-partisan panels. Such panels have traditionally been an easy way to kick the can further down the road and to accomplish little.<\/p>\n

However, there is now the danger that bi-partisan panels could reach accord and greatly influence policy. I say danger because what used to be bi-partisan panels of Republicans and Democrats have now become panels of Republicans and Republican-lites.<\/p>\n

The so-called bi-partisan Gang of Six, which\u00a0 was active in deficit discussions, consists of three Republicans [Saxby Chambliss (GA), Mike Crapo (ID), and Tom Coburn (OK)] and three Democrats [Kent Conrad (ND), Dick Durbin (IL), and Mark Warner (VA)].<\/p>\n

Ratings by the progressive Americans for Democratic Action <\/a>provides a single standard to measure the leanings of all six senators. The issues that they measure include:<\/p>\n

A senator who is very liberal would receive a rating of 100%; one who is very conservative would receive a rating of 0%. Here\u2019s how the six members rate:<\/p>\n

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These numbers are illustrative, though not necessarily startling. On the surface, the Democrats are eleven percentage points closer than the Republicans to what would be the dividing line between progressive and conservative.<\/p>\n

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