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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

It Is As I Feared

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  July 14th, 2011 at 06:39 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

We should be quick to praise and slow to anger. I know I frequently go to DEFCON1 quicker than many others, though they eventually get there. I try to be quick to praise too.

And so it was today that I and others praised Mitch McConnell for signing on as a co-sponsor to Cut, Cap, and Balance.

In my praise, I wrote, ” I can only hope that he will, now signed on, aggressively push CCB and not be a supporter in name only.”

I write this because I remember in TARP and in the Obamacare fight and in several other fights, McConnell signed on to conservative proposals only to work behind the scenes to advance other agendas that undercut conservatives. TARP got passed and the Senate GOP never used the full force of Senate rules to block Obamacare. Those aren’t the only two times.

And so as the sun is setting today, I learn from multiple Hill sources and now media reports that after McConnell sent out notice that he was signing on to Cut, Cap, and Balance, he began making door to door visits throughout the Senate lining up support for the Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011 — his plan to allow Barack Obama to raise the debt limit by $2 trillion.

What’s more, McConnell has enlisted the help of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to line up Democrat votes for the plan. Meanwhile, Speaker Boehner is saying the McConnell plan is a viable option.

Conservatives are, yet again, getting outmanuvered and will require strong support of freshman House Republicans and Senate conservatives to block this deal.

As I said weeks ago regarding the Cut, Cap, and Balance Pledge — if the sponsors of the pledge are not willing to pledge scorched earth to defeat those who raise the debt ceiling without cutting, capping, and balancing the budget, they might as well hang it up.

And it is looking like they might have to unless they finally decide to fight.

Again and again I have to say it — hold the freaking line.

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COMMENTS

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  • MOlsen6

    There is no more partisan Republican on Capital Hill than Mitch McConnell. He is old, he is sly, some say he is slippery and slimey, and others call him an outright liar. However, Mitch McConnell does know the score, he knows how to count votes in the US Senate better than most, and there is absolutley NO FREAKING COMPARISON between McConnell and Harry Reid … Mitch outsmarts and out-maneuvers Harry every day of the week.

    I understand the desire to criticize Mitch on this … I have doubted McConnell many times, but he usually winds up getting the score correct. Things are not always as they appear on Capital Hill. Cut, Cap, and Balance is great theory, but it is not going to become reality. McConnell lives with the possible, and pass-able in the US Senate.

    Go ahead, fire away, criticize him all you want, but know full well that: A) Mitch McConnell has been a very loyal and robust conservative that has served the movement well for many years and B) This sort of criticism is likely to turn around bite you in the rear when you least expect it. Mitch McConnell knows Realpolitik. Period.

  • carolina

    support.
    Kudlow wants an agreement. Zuckerman blames both parties.
    Kudlow wants to get it settled NOW.

  • carolina

    support.
    Kudlow wants an agreement. Zuckerman blames both parties.
    Kudlow wants to get it settled NOW.

  • carolina

    .

  • http://www.thehayride.com MacAoidh

    …which is that getting a handle on spending isn’t possible with Obama in office and so the correct course is to stage a strategic retreat which destroys his presidency as he gets what he wants, is basically correct.

    I don’t like the structure of McConnell’s plan which allows Obama to raise the debt limit without cutting the budget, though. That’s an unforced error and it blows the plan.

    But there are other ways to skin this cat, and I think it makes sense to pursue one of them.. It’s apparent that by only holding the House and by the fact that there are no Democrats in the Senate who would cross over to a reasonable budget plan Boehner could pass, this is a policy battle which can’t be won. We don’t have the numbers. All we can do is bleed Obama and the Senate Democrats dry.

  • raxter54

    The Republicans will get blamed by the public for any government shutdown. The media will ensure that this will happen.

    Add the total audience for the ABC/CBS/NBC nightly news programs (broadcast) and the audience for Fox news (cable) and consider this – to a majority of Americans, if Diane/Scott/Brian say it’s so, then that’s the way it is.

  • unclefred

    and made sure that the aide knew that shirking the Senate’s constitutional duty to vote on the debt ceiling was a non-starter.

    You want to short circuit McConnell’s efforts? Call your Senator (Senators if you are lucky enough to have 2 Reupbs ).

    My Republican Senator, a freshman, is unlikely to be supporting McConnell on this dodge.

  • mine

    Their reported comments make sno sense at all. They are putting a gun to the Republicans head but not to Obamas. They want the cap raised, but no mention of the deficit, the reckless explosion in the money supply, the waste, the buyout of corporate America etc etc etc. Are these guys in a love-in with Obama or what? Are they carrying his water for him?

  • Sirithil

    …it wouldn’t survive Obama’s veto. But that doesn’t really matter. The American people know the score too, and are increasingly showing that no matter what the MSM alphabet soup tells them, they know where to place blame next November.

    Hold the line.

  • avgjo

    I suppose Pres. Bush’s profligacy in the name of ‘compassionate conservatism’ was also realpolitik, right?

    It’s all this claptrap about ‘the possible’ and ‘the passable’ that gets us killed and is destroying our country.

    As long as we let the other side dictate the terms of what is possible and not, and what is passable and not, we’ll lose. McConnell is failing his country; so is Boehner.

    Mr, Erickson, bravo.

    BTW. the word ‘robust’ applied to McConnell almost made me blow my drink out of my nose. The guy has all the passion of a cold grocery-store chicken.

  • unclefred

    to alert them to what is going on. They may already know, but I figure what the heck a little more enthusiasm can’t hurt.

  • PaladinLostHour

    my Senators are Chuck Schumer and that vacuous Tracy Flick at Forty imitator, Kirsten Gillibrand.

    The only person I could call that would do any good with those two is an exorcist.

  • PaladinLostHour

    - Cellphones aren’t the size of a loaf of bread, and don’t weigh 10 lbs
    - Mullets get you laughed at, not the cover as People’s Sexiest Man
    - Michael Bolton isnt (thank God) issuing new material.

    In short, a lot of really bad cr*p that was operational bad then, isn’t now. And we have this thing called the Internet, y’ see, which makes a media cramdown of a message a lot tougher than when the MSM did a job on Newt in ’94.

    So stop letting events from a time when today’s high school seniors were newborns dictate strategy now.

  • Ausonius

    As a famous character once said: “Where’s the loyalty?”

    McConnell has proven in this term particularly that he wants Conservatives to rally against him and make him consider retirement.

    Any benefits he might “pork home” to Kentucky are outweighed by the damage he does to Kentucky and the nation on big issues.

    Let us reiterate the idea from yesterday of assembling people nationwide to rid ourselves and America of McConnell by contributing to a primary opponent.

  • PaladinLostHour

    Michael Goodwin points this out in the NY Post:

    “In answering a question about a poll showing that two-thirds of voters don’t want the debt ceiling raised, he (Obama) blew off 70 million Americans by saying they aren’t paying attention.

    There’s a novel campaign theme: Elect me because you’re too dumb to understand how smart I am. ”

    Isnt that pretty much what you’re saying above? With, by the way, no specifics offered as to McConnell’s *great* achievements.

    Sorry. No Sale.

  • http://www.pursuit-of-liberty.com davidmiller

    It only takes 41 senators united behind this plan who are willing to lose their jobs in order to do what is right for the country to block McConnell’s “strategic retreat.” the immediate consequences of default are being overstated and the eventual consequences of capitulation are being downplayed. I guarantee that if 41 Senators held their ground on Cut, Cap, Balance or else Obama and at lest 26 other senators, along with 2/3 of the House would capitulate before 2013. If by some miracle they didn’t the voters would toss Obama for his lack of leadership even if they also tossed some of the 41 brave senators who forced the issue.

    Personally I would be proud to lose my job as a senator if I lost it for standing up for what America needs in this battle.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    We need to stop spending money we don’t have.
    We need to be fiscally responsible.
    We need to fight to repeal Obamacare and keep taxes down, no more taxes and roll back govt red tape.
    We need Republicans to keep their promises to reduce spending and fight against Big Government.

    We do that, and IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT THE LIB-MEDIA SAYS. The people will see that Republicans are the party of lower spending and less taxes and the Democrats are the party of more spending and higher taxes. The people will choose accordingly. We WIN those kind of races.

    Guess what? There was a shutdown. The media blamed the Republicans, called them stubborn and wrong, and scolded them to relent and work with the executive branch. Republicans held firm … AND THEY WON. The Governor has relented on his demands and will call a special session to ‘get er done.’

    That was today. In Minnesota.

    Don’t worry about the media. Ask yourself: Is this the right policy? We all know that the McConnell punt is bad policy, a bad precedent for legislative cowardice, and hands budget-cutting responsibility to the most budget-irresponsible President in our history. It’s a bad idea on many fronts.

    Sometimes good policy is tough polling wise, but bad policy is NEVER good politics.

    “Add the total audience for the ABC/CBS/NBC nightly news programs (broadcast)” … I and millions of voters havent watched that since the last millenium.

  • joecollins

    . .. into a war zone.

    Let’s hope they stay true to the people who sent the,/

  • joecollins

    Let?s hope they stay true to the people who sent them.

  • carolina

    Out-year 10 year forecast cuts are a joke. The House could get some real cuts in FY2012 via the budget & appropriations process (if the Senate would ever act)
    Just a thought…….

  • carolina

    Out-year 10 year forecast cuts are a joke. The House could get some real cuts in FY2012 via the budget & appropriations process (if the Senate would ever act)
    Just a thought…….

  • AceInTX

  • Aaron Gardner

    The D’s didn’t bother doing a budget when they had power, what makes you think they would do one now that would have real cuts?

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    Pass a short term “clean debt ceiling increase” of $200 billion or so that has one provision – the Full Faith and Credit Act – that requires the treasury interest to be paid first.

    Our fundamental problem is that this …. “getting a handle on spending isn?t possible with Obama in office” … is not true! There is only ONE THING that would force the issue: A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

    If Boehner and McConnell are not willing to demand fiscal responsibility and spending cuts in exchange for an FY2011 of FY2012 budget, then yes, their conclusion follows. Obama wont compromise if our side blinks first!

    “Go back to the Ryan budget and find all the cuts he proposed to non-defense discretionary spending. What number that comes to ? be it $200 billion, $300 billion or what ? put it in a bill, marry it dollar-for-dollar with a debt limit increase and get it on the floor.

    Let?s say it?s $250 billion in cuts and so it?d be a $250 billion debt limit increase. That would be worth maybe a couple of months of time. So it?s a short-term plan.”

    Good idea. Far bet But seriously, the Ryan budget overall is $200 billion under the Obama budget IN FY2012 ALONE! There is a massive gap. So going with the Ryan budget could justify the whole $2 trillion in cuts for a $2 T debt ceiling increase. THAT would be a hill worth fighting for.

    “And then drop that flaming bag of dog poop on Harry Reid?s front porch. Make him deal with it. And warn him that this is the only bill he?ll get out of the House before Aug. 2, so if he doesn?t want a default he?d better make sure it passes.”

    WE DONT EVEN HAVE TO BE THAT FIRM. WE COULD SIMPLY SAY “PASS YOUR PLAN IN THE SENATE AND WE WILL WORK OUT DIFFERENCES IN CONFERENCE”. ANY PLAN ON REID’S PART WILL BE A COMPROMISE AND WILL FORCE THE “TOUGH VOTES ON THE SENATE DEMOCRATS.

    That is far far far better than McConnell’s dog poop idea.

  • qsclues

    There is a bit more than just political machinations to McConnell’s plan, and to a degree, I understand it.

    We all know that even if the debt ceiling were not increased, there would still be the money to cover the debt servicing, Social Security, the troops and such. The only way those things don’t happen is if Obama were to decide not to do them.

    Here’s the question: Can we actually trust him not to? Is giving him the power to cut pretty much whatever *he* wants going to cause even more economic chaos than we have right now?

    Frankly, I don’t trust him with that power. Yes, it would end his Presidency if he did it (even with the press fully on board trying to blame the Republicans), but the damage could be impossible to recover from.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    The leverage is a Speaker with spine who says:

    “We passed our budget and our bills in the House.
    You in the senate pass your budget and your bills, or there can be no further progress at all. No debt ceiling increase, no FY 2012 appropriations, no nothing.
    Without the Senate doing its job, we cannot move forward.”

    Now, those are just words. But if there is seriousness behind them, enough seriousness to say – if you dont do this a shutdown will happen – then it will work its magic.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    They really are arfraid of default.
    This fear should be unnecessary, since the Treasury could easily pay bonds first and the President could/should make that declaration so there is no market fear.
    But the President is deliberately raising the stakes here.

    Kudlow is wimping out because the ‘political risk’ in this impacting the markets is increasing daily.

    I dont want the markets to tank either I have a lot at stake, but I know a BS move when I see it and the entire default threat by Obama and Geithner is a BS move, pure politics.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    It’s very simple, if we get a debt ceiling hike to Obama’s desk, and he vetoes it and cuts off the checks – he OWNS the shutdown, the default, etc.

    The Democrat Senate is Obama’s protection from making any decision. So it is important to have a bill that can pass the Senate. it’s also important to get the tough Senate votes on the record. 23 Senate Democrats up for re-election. Let THEM vote on these different ideas.

    McConnell’s idea is a terrible idea, if for no other reason than that the Democrats universally like it but most Republicans hate it. It cuts Republican House members out in the cold.

    Good for a minority leader, bad for the GOP.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    “Is giving him the power to cut pretty much whatever *he* wants going to cause even more economic chaos than we have right now?”

    Answer: YES. Obama IMHO wants the default to happen, or at least is willing to push things to the edge to get the Republicans blamed for the bad economy. Obama NEEDS enemies. He needs to raise the stakes. If all he can run on is the lousy economy, he is a one-termer. Demonizing Republicans is all they’ve got.

    This is why Republicans need to be as unthreatening and undramatic as possible, while stayin firm to principles.

  • ghostship

    Seriously, what does it take to get these Republican politicians to stand and fight for Conservative principles? They seem determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at every chance.

    Forget holding their feet to the fire. We need to treat these gutless leaders of ours as conscripted peasant soldiers with a rear guard of a vigilant Conservative base who will cut them down like the spineless cowards they are if they don’t charge towards the enemy.

    I’m tired of excuses from the Republican Party as to why they can’t push a Conservative small government, cut spending agenda when THEY WON’T EVEN FIGHT!

    I’m tired of compromises which entail the Dems getting 99.9% of everything they want and we get a few crumbs if we’re lucky. JUST FIGHT!

    I’m tired of games worrying about who’ll get the blame. JUST FIND THOSE CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES AND FIGHT FOR THEM!

    Gah! Even the Democrats don’t tick me off as much as my own party does at times.

  • jmimac351

    McConnell, or the comments from supposed conservatives on this site who favor playing politics over standing firm.

    McConnell is a damn coward and the GOP will be blamed no matter what happens.

    Leadership is not passive acquiescence in the face is the greatest internal threat to freedom and prosperity this nation has ever seen – Barack Hussein Obama.

  • bk

     

  • bk

    If the McConnell surrender involves Obama being able to raise the debt limit without it being via a bill that is approved in both Houses and signed by the President, then why does Obama even need to run anything by Congress about it to begin with????

    McConnell has blessed Obama unilaterally raising it, so why should Obama care what method he uses to do it? He can say reading the 14 Amendment with 3D glasses while high on crack gives him the authority to do it, and that’s no different than McConnell saying he can do it through some other way that is equally unconstitutional.

  • littlehouse18

    From Moody’s:

    “If the debt limit is raised again and a default avoided, the Aaa rating would likely be confirmed. However, the outlook assigned at that time to the government bond rating would very likely be changed to negative at the conclusion of the review unless substantial and credible agreement is achieved on a budget that includes long-term deficit reduction. To retain a stable outlook, such an agreement should include a deficit trajectory that leads to stabilization and then decline in the ratios of federal government debt to GDP and debt to revenue beginning within the next few years.

    Moody’s does not take a position on what measures should be included in any deficit reduction package. Instead, it is the resultant deficit and debt trajectories that are relevant to the rating and its outlook.”

    Even if the debt limit is raised, Moody’s might lower the rating if the debt and deficit are not addressed, which makes sense. House Repubs have already passed a plan for that.

  • ghostship

    After all, it’s these supposed conservatives who continue to swallow their lame excuses and keep re-electing our great spineless Republican politicians.

    It’s no wonder why the Dems feel that they can treat the Republicans like a battered housewife.

    “Woman! Did I just hear you say you aren’t going raise MY debt limit. Don’t make me have to go out and threaten to hold up some SS checks.”

    “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Here, I’ll pass a bill so I no longer have a say about your debt limit.”

    “You better! Now go make me a sandwich.”

    Truly, sometimes the gutlessness of my party makes me ashamed to be a registered Republican.

  • ghostship

    I meant for this comment to be a reply to: jmimac351 Thursday, July 14th at 9:34PM EDT (link)

  • gekster

    then nary a bullit will hit.
    They got elected by saying “we will say no more”,
    If they stand strong, then then they will prevail, and the true Americans will thank them.

  • littlehouse18

    with equal or a bit more in cuts, and a provision about paying interest, SS, Medicare, etc. first. Let him dare to veto that, and see what people think of him if he does. It should be clear to all that the Republicans tried to save us and Obama shot the hostage.

    I heard Paul Ryan on Hannity and he was finally able to clear up for me why the debt ceiling needs to be raised at least a bit. He seemed to say it came down to cash flow issues, such as whether the money comes in on the right day to pay the bonds of that day. Do I have this right? I also think he supported the incremental approach, because we have an intransigent Prez, and we need to get a new one before we can solve this problem.

  • gekster

    Tea Party in, old guard out.
    Next election will be even better, but only if us and those like us get involved.
    We should quit the whining, and get involved.
    WE can and have made a difference.
    The last election not withstanding, we can and will do better.
    But only if we get involved in our local politics as we get involved on this blog.
    They say all the time get off your butt and do something, well, it’s time to get off your butt and do something.
    Read coldwarrior, and get a clue.
    And I say this to EVERYBODY, If you ain’t going to do something in your local gop party, shut the firetruck up and go away, we don’t need you to waste our time.
    Get involved or get lost.
    Quit the whining and actually do something.

    ( that sounded good, I’;ll add it to my sig line).

  • carolina

    to get the mutually agreed to cuts (some $1.2 trillion) attached to the McConnell plan.
    Bottom line – the GOP is not going to allow any tax hikes.

  • ghostship

    15 Trillion is more than enough debt. Why raise it at all when if it was you or me who was completely buried in debt it would time to tighten the belt. If not now then when will we every stop going in the hole? 5 years from now? 50 years from now? 5,00 years from now?

    No more excuses. Uncle Sam needs to cut the credit card up and tighten his belt. We need to stop supported Uncle Sam’s spending addiction. It’s time for some tough love.

  • usadying

    I have had the same thoughts. It looks like McConnell is handing the Dems a new method to pass anything they want to. It all stinks of Pelosi and Reid doing the Obamacare dance and passing a bill that was universally hated in the middle of the night. What a bunch of gobbledy gook where voting yes means voting no and vice versa. Who the hell do these people think they are? Americans are sick of the back door deals and system manipulations. Hell, they can’t even pass a budget, but they can raise the debt ceiling to keep on spending. “Pay as you go” was nothing but words. Obama has made Congress 90% irrelevant, and this stupid plan makes it 100%.

    I just finished “Reckless Endangerment”, and learned an interesting fact about the ratings agencies. It used to be that investors paid for their analysis, but now it’s the entities that issue the products. Moody’s, etc, make more money by giving favorable ratings because more companies will pay them, hence their total cluelessness with Enron, Worldcom, and Lehman. With the financial reform bill, I would not be in the least surprised if Geitner called them to signal a downgrade,

  • kestrel

    People are SICK to DEATH of being held hostage by government. Once again, the public is WAY ahead of the politicians. Are Republicans going to do what is right, OR NOT? Stop looking for a way out. Do what’s RIGHT — for the umpteenth time, pass legislation prioritizing what expenses get paid in the event of a cash flow problem (interest on the debt, Soc.Sec., Military, Medicare, veterans, Medicaid), then send it to the Senate, and if Reid does nothing, the whole mess is on his and BHO’s heads. And believe me, IT WILL BE. People are thoroughly, thoroughly wise to these machinations of career politicians. We want the daylights paddled out of petulant hostage takers by cheerful, unflappable, adults.

  • kestrel

    Sorry.

  • http://www.thehayride.com MacAoidh

    …politically.

    Why? Because the battlefield hasn’t been prepared.

    Like I said at my post, the only way you can have a shutdown is if it’s preceded by a two-week media blitz telling the public that if social security checks don’t go out and the troops aren’t paid it’s because Obama CHOSE NOT TO PAY THEM.

    This hasn’t been done, and the American people don’t understand the implications. And since the legacy media is an unbridled propaganda shop for the Democrats, you simply can’t just trust that the truth will get out. I think 2008 proved that, and 2010 proved the depths to which the legacy media will go in an effort to smear and destroy our side.

    So if you want to go high-stakes, you’ve got to do it in a manner by which you know the other guy is clearly on the hook. I think the way to do that is to pass something out of the House that gives a debt limit increase paid for by spending cuts already agreed to by the members. And that’s doable logically because all the Republicans who voted for Ryan’s budget have voted for a budget that while it’s better than anything we’ve had in recent years still has a deficit to it. And if you voted for a budget with a deficit then you really can’t not raise the debt limit; if you don’t, your budget that you voted for puts the country in default.

    So you should be able to pass a budget cut. But like I said in my post, make sure you pass it with as small a majority as possible so that it looks like a Herculean task to get it through and gives weight to your subsequent statement that “this is absolutely all I can give you; from now on you’ve got to offer your own spending cuts if you want more.”

    Regardless of what you pass, though, I’m in agreement with your comment above that once the GOP passes something on to the Senate it’s now Reid and Obama’s problem.. And that’s where it needs to be.

  • http://www.thehayride.com MacAoidh

    …something so incredibly vital as to be akin to shooting hostages. He will make this so painful that it’s impossible to gauge the results.

    We will see this as proof he’s unfit to lead the country. But the DNC propaganda machine is very good at spinning things for people who don’t pay attention, and they’ll work it out so that this is Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor and John Boehner’s fault.

    And that’s why this has to be carefully done. It’s also why we can’t act like we can run a tough negotiation at arm’s length. You’re negotiating with what is essentially a retarded kid with a hand grenade in his mouth. The best move would be to get the hell out of there, but that option’s not available.

  • http://www.thehayride.com MacAoidh

    …or the country is over.

    I was all about the Ken Bucks and Sharron Angles and Joe Millers last year. I think we improved the Republican Party nominating them rather than the RINO’s who were “supposed” to win.

    But the price we paid is that we’ve got to wait until 2012 to retake the Senate. I’m OK with paying that price, because I think by the time it’s over we’re going to have a majority built from the DeMint, Lee, Rand Paul, Vitter, Ron Johnson and Marco Rubio wing of the party rather than the Dick Lugars and Lindsey Grahams of the world.

    But because we didn’t take the Senate, we don’t have the ability to pass anything to Obama and put a gun to his head. That’s a real issue. And it means ANY substantive policy victory will be dearly bought – and will only come as a result of Cold War-style brinksmanship as we fight an enemy reared on Alinskyite chaos doctrine.

    Don’t think for one second that a significant portion of the Obama administration is absolutely spoiling for a default that allows them to cut off SS, Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, food stamps, unemployment, disability…you name it. They are absolutely jazzed about the idea they can make these people destitute and then roll them into some ACORN-type organizations. That’s straight Cloward-Piven stuff.

    Now, I don’t think that’s ultimately going to work. And while I think virtually all of our potential candidates can beat this guy, we don’t have a Reagan or a Nixon of 1968 lined up who’s a sure thing yet. Which means we have to protect ourselves and make sure we don’t give Obama an angle.

    This is not about cowardice. It’s about recognizing that you can’t fix this country without getting rid of this man in the White House – and everything, EVERYTHING, has to be subservient to that goal. Whatever damage gets done in a strategic retreat now can be fixed in 18 months, but ONLY if Obama is beaten.

  • Common_Cents

    Mitch would say that would reallllllllly get obama in a pickle! Give him another 4 years! NOT.

  • JSobieski

    (1) Is now the time to make our final stand?
    (2) Are we better off avoiding a political loss now so that we can win the Presidency in 2012?

    I am not in favor of what Mitch is doing, and I don’t claim to understand his motivations here. However, it is possible for people who agree on goals to disagree on tactics.

    The US is not going to fall into the sea between now and 2013.

    What we do now will have some impact on the 2012 elections. Mitch probably underappreciates the fact that acquiesence now may hurt our changes in 2012. However, some may underappreciate the risks of doing the opposite.

    It this was happening in 2013, there would be no diagreement as to what needed to be done. However, as there is a Presidential election coming up, it is a good idea to think tactically . . or to at least consider tactical alternatives.

  • gwalt

    We know the Libtard Dems will blame the Reps. Period.

    Then, the “media” will dutifully blame the Reps for killing Grandma.

    Let’s go on offense on the media. Lots of sites go after them after the fact. Let’s get all the Conservative sites to start a fund and we will pay good money to see Matt Liars face, Diane Sawyers, Scott Pelleys, Georgie Tsepphies—-in ads and billboards with “BIASED, LIBERAL, Don’t trust them” underneath.

    They will be the key to an Obama victory— again. It is estimated that between 3-5 BILLION in free positive PR was had by Obama in 2008.

  • gunslingr45

    about Dick Lugar? Just as bad!

  • edintexas

    You are probably correct that there is no more partisan Republican than McConnell. He usually, if not always, will do whatever he believes is best for the party. But I would much rather know that he will do what is best for the country, even if it places the party in an difficult position. Giving away what should be an important check and balance power to the Executive in order to place the party in the best PR position is not what I’d call doing best by the country and Constitution. Your opinion may vary.

  • jimmyneutron

    We are already out of money and have been for some time – the markets are going to tank. It is not a matter of it but when. What Eric is proposing is the only path that may save this country from a third world style debt crisis.
    We need to Hold Fast here, no debt ceiling increase, and force those clowns in DC to finally begin to really cut spending and deal with our spending problem! Why do people believe that giving into the progressives ( D & R ) once again and giving them even more money and time is somehow going to magically solve this problem?????
    The facts are that Obama and the progressives are Never, Ever going to cut spending in any meaningful way, they are going to lie, cheat and steal to keep from having to do so and they will blame conservatives for everything that goes wrong.
    The great McConnel’s deal will only kick the can down the road until after the presidential election, which is just what the progressives want. The politicians of both sides that support his deal do so because they know that all of this attention from the debt ceiling fight and spending is bad for their reelection chances so why not put it off until after the election. Remember that he was against the election of the tea party senators who are leading the fight to deal with this now instead of kicking the can down the road again.
    We, the conservatives, need to keep this in front of the rest of America so people don’t forget, once again, just how bad our financial situation is and how much we have to deal with it. We also need leaders who have some idea how to retort to the D’s constant attacks on the ‘evil’ rich, etc.
    Hold Fast!

  • rj145

    Go ahead Mitch, and you too Mr. Speaker. Just get used to “wearing a target on your back”. You can both be replaced. We are getting too weary of bad re-runs of “Lets Make a Deal”!

  • jimmyneutron

    get blamed for everything now and since the progressives lie every chance they get even when the truth would serve them better, how will things be different???
    For crying out loud, Obama just beat us up for a corporate jet tax break HE put in HIS stimulus bill.
    Quit trying to be reasonable with the other side. We are in an existential war with them and we need leaders who will lead and fight!
    Stand Fast!

  • jimmyneutron

    the people you mentioned lost because of a lack of support, and in some case, outright hostility by R establishment figures such as McConnel. He certaintly did not support Rand Paul (although it sounds as though he is trying to ‘help’ Rand become a true member of the club.
    We need to fight this now! No more deals that do nothing but help the D’s. How is surrendering to Obama on this and letting him off the hook until after the next election going to help get conservatives elected? Keep our fiscal crisis front and center until those scoundrals in DC finally begin to get the message and truely begin to deal with it.
    Also, had we taken the senate we still would not be able to do anything because I don’t think people like McConnel want to do anything radical about this. From where I sit all those progressives in DC, D & R, appear to be more than content to keep all the power and money they can.

    And by the way, Nixon was no conservative. If we elect another Nixon we are done.

  • deltazelda

    Getting a letter to a congressman can take up to 2 weeks because of security measures. I have called offices from my state and other Repubs, as well. Every person has been very polite and taken my message: “I am calling for 10 voters (my family & neighbors). We want the Repubs to hold the line like steel-reinforced concrete. DO NOT raise the debt ceiling. Some of us are on Social Security and some are retired federal civil service. If Obama chooses to deny us what we have worked for and paid into, he and the Dems own it. Pass the Ryan budget, send it to the Senate, and Obama and his fellow Dems will have to say yea or nay. Force them to do something besides posture and pout. ”

    More viewers watch Fox News than watch all the other “news” broadcasts combined. Choose a Repub spokesman to field all questions on the budget and debt ceiling. Senator Ryan would be my choice. We can turn this country around, but the elected Repubs must grow cojones and do what we elected them to do in the 2010 election.

  • bamadoc

    Our debt issue is compared to Greece’s recent problems. However i think the better comparison is the Weimar Republic in the 1920s. The results will be the same if we done cut spending: hyperinflation and widespread ecomnomic ruin. We MUST cut spending and not raise the debt ceiling

  • http://www.periodictablet.com superamerican

    Maybe as I have read, the Republicans can never get government and the deficit cut as long as Obama is president and the Democrats control the Senate. Perhaps Republicans should stop playing to the Democrat’s tune on their turf.

    Republicans: it is the Second Civil War and if you don’t win, America loses.

    Don’t worry what the NY Times or NBCBSABC says. You have to WIN.

    Go on the offense and crush the Left using everything possible. Do not negoatiate, go after their jugular.

    Or we lose.,

  • kestrel

    but it seems like the damage that would be done in a “strategic retreat” may significantly improve his chances of reelection — from letting him funnel another $2,000,000,000,000 to his political supporters (and also fund the agencies that are destroying businesses and Obama’s other “adversaries”), to letting Republicans skip the training that will prepare them for 2012. (Are we going to have TARP all over again?)

    Republicans have the ability to deny Obama the one thing he wants most: a flood of new money that rightfully belongs to future generations of Americans. I can’t fathom why our side thinks they’ll be blamed (by the majority of the public) for ANYTHING Obama does or causes, when the mug of the author of the fiercely despised ObamaCare -? who is turning our descendants into indentured servants -? stares at us every day, from every form of media, everywhere we turn. They especially can’t be blamed if they pass legislation to prevent the very things Obama is threatening to do (default, withhold soc. sec. checks). If Reid won’t pass it, that’s on him. House Republicans need to stop worrying about the power they don’t have, and start using the power they do have.