Time after time I have gotten on my soapbox to say not to give in to Republican terrorists when they take hostages. Every time we do, they take more hostages and make their ransom demands even more unreasonable. This week Republicans have demonstrated that they have zero interest and intent to negotiate a deal. In cravenly fashion Obama caved in to their original reduction number. Done deal? Not al all. The Republicans raised the number.
The House Republicans on Tuesday made it clear to anyone who had missed it that they are not interested in a deal on the current federal budget. In a meeting at the White House, they rejected a deal to get through the next six months. President Obama, silent for too long on this fight, emerged from the meeting to say that he would tolerate no more ideological gamesmanship. But the Republicans, if anything, only increased their demands, and a government shutdown seemed likely to begin on Friday.
That the Republicans are not interested simply in reducing the deficit was made clear when the House Budget Committee chairman, Paul Ryan, released his budget plan for 2012 on the same day as the talks to finish the 2011 budget were falling apart. It was less a budget-balancing effort than a press release for the 2012 elections. Similarly, the party’s refusal to accept Mr. Obama’s overly generous budget offer for this year makes clear that its leaders prefer a shutdown to abandoning their ideological crusade to abolish their least favorite government programs.
If their goal was to reduce spending, they would have accepted the Democrats’ offer to cut $33 billion out of the budget for the next six months — the same amount as Republican leaders had originally requested before Tea Party members forced them to double it earlier this year. As the president noted, that offer constitutes the largest cut to domestic discretionary spending in history… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
That’s right! After Obama caved-in to $33 billion in cuts, Agent Orange moved the goal posts and said he will not agree without unanimous Republican support in the House, including the Teabaggers.
Ed Schultz covered this in two segments, first with Rep.Donna Edwards and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
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Next he discussed it with Katrina Vanden Heuvel. She came on liker a hurricane.
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That’s telling it like it is!
Unless they pull out at cliffs edge, the shutdown begins Friday. Expect Republicans to attempt to blame Democrats. We can’t allow that lie to gain traction.
8 Responses to “Republicans Poised to Shut Down Government”
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Time to grow a pair Mr. President and move the goal post to where the Democrats want it which is more consistant to the polling from both the left and the right. Give Boehner and the Tb’ers one more inch and you lost any support I may have worked for in your campaign.
Mark I agree.
If this odious shutdown takes place, I’m wondering if it will rouse public antipathy toward the Republicans, as the same stunt did in the 1990s.
Ahab, I would think so, but Republicans are already spinning it that Democrats are forcing a shutdown by refusing to agree with their “modest” proposals.
The best way to answer the piling list of Repug demands is to lower the Dems offer.
Obama (wrongly) conceded to the additional $33B. He should now say the offer does NOT include that cut. If the Repugs say no again, then the offer should continue to go down, say half of the already conceded (wrongly) $70B.
Let the government shut down. It will only be for a day or two. Federal public employees should go to work anyway and just stand or sit there doing nothing. That way, when the Repugs give in, the Fed workers will be ready to jump right into their jobs again.
Of course, that’s my Mr. Smith Goes to Washington world, which clearly does not exist.
Call their bluff, Mr. President.
Marva, he’s been doing that for over two years. Republicans begin negotiating at extreme right, and Obama begins just barely to the left of them instead of starting hard left. Although it will hurt me, I’d rather see it shut down than given away.
Grow some balls- Mr President– stop caving to unreasonable and arrogant demands–back up- recinde your compromise offer– Compromise is not what they want– that is Crystal Clear by now— Do not continue by giving them one more inch– Let the frigging gov’ment shut down– What is the worse that can happen-?? I promise the sun will come up- and life will go on- let the public employees go to work– take a lunch- relax–Have a nice weekend–
CALL THEIR BLUFF AND STOP BEING SUCH A LILY LIVERED CRAVEN COWARD— MR PRESIDENT
Amen, Phyllis!