Even though nobody would mistake the GOP for being the most cooperative bunch of folks in the world, Republican lawmakers are reiterating that, despite the civil and conciliatory dialogue they had with President Obama yesterday about working together on various issues, they are still as devoted to obstructionism as Julian Assange is to troublemaking. A letter currently being circulated among the GOP caucus calls for a filibuster of all legislation during the current lame-duck session aside from the soon-to-expire Bush tax cuts and funding for government operations. As one Republican aide explains, this is the only reasonable course of action.

"We are now less than a month away from a huge across-the-board tax increase for every American and just days away from running out of operating funds for the federal government," one aide told Power Play. "It doesn't seem unreasonable to insist that Democrats focus on those things instead of the remaining items on their failed liberal agenda."

It's not as if the Democrats had so many things they were going to pass anyway, but there are a few, such as the DREAM Act, which would "give legal status to young illegal immigrants who join the military or attend college," and the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." Obviously, these are things that most of the GOP doesn't support. But, at least in the case of DADT, a clear and consistent majority of Americans do want the legislation passed. Perhaps the letter — which at this point has an unknown number of signatories — is just a preemptive excuse for the GOP to avoid a politically tricky vote. "We'd love to vote on allowing gays to serve openly in the military," they can tell the people. "But, oh, dang, we all signed on to this letter. Too bad."

Senate GOP letter calls for blocking most bills [AP via Google]
Today's Power Play: Republicans and Democrats Play Chicken With Lame Duck [Power Play/Fox News]