Yesterday, I analyzed how the GOP should fight the budget battle, but I may have made a big mistake. I assumed the Republican leadership actually wanted to do the right thing. I thought they learned the right lessons from the disastrous Bush years, and that the GOP no longer would be handmaidens for big government. And I naively assumed that the Republican leadership would not betray the base and stab the Tea Party in the back.
Unfortunately, if this Washington Post story is accurate, that may be what is happening.
Having difficulty finding consensus within their own ranks, House Republican leaders have begun courting moderate Democrats on several key fiscal issues, including a deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next week. The basic outline would involve more than $30 billion in cuts for the 2011 spending package, well short of the $61 billion initially demanded by freshman Republicans and other conservatives, according to senior aides in both parties. Such a deal probably would be acceptable to Senate leaders and President Obama as long as the House didn’t impose funding restrictions on certain social and regulatory programs supported by Democrats, Senate and administration aides said.
Having been in Washington for 25 years, I’m not blind to reality. I knew it was never going to be possible to get all $61 billion of cuts. At some point, there would be a compromise. And I also was aware that the GOP “riders” – such as blocking Obamacare, curtailing the EPA’s power grab, and defunding the leeches at Planned Parenthood – were an uphill battle.
But I thought the GOP leadership would fight and get a decent deal rather than unilaterally surrender. If the Washington Post report is true and Republicans act like the French army, it will discourage the base and cause a rift with the Tea Party. So it’s dumb politics and dumb policy.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed, though, and hope this is just a trial balloon that quickly will be shot down.
The Republican leadership is as clueless as always and we’re surprised because ? Obviously our so called leaders have no idea of the depth and strength of the anger of the tax paying electorate. We know that Obama and the Dems don’t care what conservatives say, they are intent upon moving their plan forward; the destruction of America. The Republican leadership thinks that they can play by the Marquis de Queensbury rules. They will be sadly surprised when a third party forms or the Tea Party people oust the rest of the RINOs. Bad days ahead for this nation.
Two words: John Boehner.
When this idiot is finally taken out of a leadership position, perhaps there will be hope for the Republican party. If not, look for a third party to form soon.
John and the good ol’ boys are too stupid to learn from the democrats. If you want 100 billion in cuts (which is what we were promised, and still wouldn’t make a dent in solving any actual problems) shoot for 500 billion, and then you can always “settle” for 100 billion. Instead if the idiots want 100 billion, they ask for 61 billion, then allow themselves to accept 30 billion…what a joke.
I just gave the NRSC $100 yesterday after withholding from them for 2 years (with the stipulation that they start acting like fiscal conservatives and not the cowards they appear to be).
I WANT MY MONEY BACK.
Everyone is for vague cuts but when it comes to specifics opponents find it too easy to demagogue and raise all kinds of negative publicity.
I’m reminded of pro soccer players where every brush of the arm on an opposing player results in a spectacular tumble, a fall and the inevitable writhing in agony. To the uninitiated it appears that there may be some serious damage but really the “injured” player is just hoping to draw a foul as the Democrats are currently succeeding at doing.
So we’re lying in the middle of the road, bleeding arterially from every limb and the Republicans are negotiating with the Democrats to agree to put a band aid on the scrape we have on our elbow?
The Stupid Party, indeed.
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