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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

House Republican Leaders Cave in Less Than 24 Hours

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  July 25th, 2011 at 05:00 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

This is embarrassing.

On Fox News Sunday, John Boehner began the day saying that he wanted a deal that kept to the principles of “Cut, Cap, and Balance.”

He concluded Sunday by telling House Republicans that Cut, Cap, and Balance was off the table due to Senate opposition.

Twice the House GOP has staked out a position. Twice they have been shot up and beat to hell by the Democrats for daring to do so. Twice their leaders then threw in the towel on their plans. First on Paul Ryan’s plan and now this.

No wonder so many House Republicans are privately expressing so much anger at their leadership.

To make it worse, Republican Leaders on Capitol Hill are offering up what is being called a “Super Congress”. In this plan, 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans would get together, come up with an agreement to make spending cuts and raise taxes. Then neither house in Congress would be able to stop those reforms — no filibuster could be used.

We’ve seen these sorts of commissions throughout American history. We always wind up with the tax increases. We never get the spending cuts.

In the last thirty years there have been 17 deficit commissions. The deficit has gone up $13 trillion. The cuts are always accounting gimmicks.

House Republicans should hold the freaking line. They should say “Cut, Cap, and Balance” or no deal. They should not succumb to fear. They should not be in such a race to avoid August 2nd that they get a bad deal.

History shows us how this will end up: taxes will go up and spending will go up.

It’s time to stop pouring alcohol for the alcoholic. It is time to stop raising the credit limit so the spendthrifts can spend some more. It is time to hold the freaking line.

Cut, Cap, and Balance is the only plan that can be passed by August 2nd. It needs just four more votes in the Senate where it is tabled, not dead.

If Republicans in either house are seeking forgiveness for cutting deal, they will get none from the American people. If they haven’t been paying attention, while they’ve been holding the line on cut, cap, and balance, their poll numbers among the young and poor have been going up.

Hold the freaking line.

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COMMENTS

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  • kajun65

    Cut. Cap & Balance! Everything else sells America out, Again!

  • LISA BULLOCK-HOCK

    The Republicans are afraid to be seen as the party of no. When it really is the Democrats who are the party of no–no cutting of anything–they need to buy votes with our money. This is the end if taxes are raised. The economy is already in the crapper, and getting worse. Here comes double digit unemployment, monster inflation, and gas prices are going up because Obama has not allowed any drilling, it is down by 70% I think the stat was. Next year look out for $7+ per gallon gas. We are going to be Greece. God help us.

  • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

    Are you really so easily going to abandon the chance to finally rein in this president with Cut, Cap, and Balance?

    It’s almost like you never really wanted it in the first place.

    As we’ve been saying.

  • Spiral

    Pass a clean debt ceiling increase. Continue negotiations.

    Repeat as necessary until we vote Obama back into community organizing.

  • chbroussard

    Yesterday I read a Rasmussen poll that had Republicans ahead 10 pts. when it came to handling the economy. I know polls can be deceiving, but I think Rasmussen is one of the better ones.

    2010 was a real clear message—stop the damn spending, and no, we don’t want our taxes raised.

    If Speaker Boehner can’t stand firm, I’d like to give him something to really cry about…like the loss of his job. If you can’t do the job, get out of the way. Take some time off, Mr. Speaker, and spend that time getting your spine reinserted into your back.

  • averagevoterdotcom

    how does that help us beat obama next year?
    what stops him from acting like decisive deficit hawk potus?
    why carry his water?

  • red_oakster

    Perhaps it’s because there is list space between the leadership and the caucus than Erick suggests. If people have a problem with what Boehner is doing, we should be hearing it.

  • red_oakster

    nt

  • charlesmartel

    …Boehner should be replaced as Speaker after this debacle. This is not leadership.

  • bushhog

    Boehner must work against McConnell, as well as Obama and Reid. He has a steep hill to climb (and, as you suggest, may lack the conditioning to get to the top).

  • kajun65

    Boehner’s in tough position, but his record for caving does exsist. For once, I wish he would just “Hold the Line”!

  • bk

    He will have a “plan” to cut $2.7T in spending with no tax increases and no entitlement reform in exchange for a $2.4T debt limit increase. Anybody who believes that will be anything other than gimmicks is on crack. And wasn’t anything without ‘increased revenue’ a non-starter in the Senate?

  • ashland_avenue

    We are spending $10 billion a day, 365 days times 10, or $3,650 billions, ie $3.65 trillion.

    Only $6 billion a day is funded.

    $4 billion a day is borrowed.

    After this so called deal, how much is going to change?

    It sounds like nothing.

    Can’t anyone at Boehner’s office count?

  • rayhinkle

    The problem with negotiations is that you must think ahead critically. I don’t think it is possible to negotiate with a President who does not negotiate. Never had to. The media is against you, perception is tainted and the likely hood of a deal where you win is remote. So… what is the fallback or can there be one? Ultimately, negotiations implies or requires movement. This alone will be used against you in any final deal. If nothing else succeeds, hold to your principles, but be prepared to be a part of “fire brigade”.

  • steve53

    The Party of NO is fine when you are in the right. Obama is the one on the defensive. If Republicans cave, it will redound to Obama’s benefit. If Republicans cave we might have another four years of Barack Hussein Obama. Is that what Congressional Republican want? Well maybe John Boehner genuinely likes this president; he would like to help him succeed.. Most conservatives want him removed Nov. 2012.

  • ashland_avenue

    An entire country of folks are walking around believing the Republican party and Tea Party goals are to favor the wealthy.

    They don’t grasp that taming the debt creation is meant to save the nation’s financial system.

  • steve53

    Obama is on the run. He is defensive. If Boehner caves (I DO NOT trust this Republican leader) all bets are off.

  • steve53

    Politics is warfare by other means. Like bin Laden said, “By nature people will like the strong horse….” That is what Obama will be if he is victorious in this. Republicans have him on the defensive. Why do you advocate capitulation. Beating Obama next year means beating him this year.

  • dalehogue

    Cut: means to reduce the size of whatever one is cutting.
    Cap: means to hold the line at a certain point and don’t go beyond it.
    Balance: means whatever can be agreed upon that makes everybody happy. In that case, balance doesn’t mean squat.

    The problem with using the word Balance is that it can mean most anything that the two parties agree should be its meaning. If you think that the Democrats are going to agree with anything that the Republicans agree to then you are as crazy as all those nutcases who occupy seats in both houses of Congress.

  • kajun65

    you must be unaware of the Proposed Bill sent to the Senate. The statement Balance, stands for Balanced Budget. Spend only what?s Budgeted.

    As for calling me Crazy, I guess you are correct. I?m Crazy, Sick & Tired of Government Spending out of control!

  • silentcal2012

    That is the Drudge headline and the Washington Times headline.

    Both sides are making concessions. That’s what happens in a divided government based on checks and balances, but the Dems are conceding more than the GOP. Kudos to the GOP leadership for making gains and being responsible stewards of our great nation.

    http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/24/debt-brinkmanship-goes-down-wire/

  • steve53

    McConnell is working against McConell. All McConnell saw last week was a very necessary and public thrashing from the base of the conservative party. McConnell knows he sold out. What Boehner needs to do is stop weeping and act like a man. Michell Bachmann has more testosterone – she is more a man – than Boehner and McConnell put together. It’s deplorable! I’m sick of these “women” in the Republican leadership.

  • steve53

    Obama can take it or leave it. Obama and the Democrats have put forth nothing; nada. Where is Boehner’s tough position?

  • bk

    The Reid “plan” as reported in effect amounts to an increase of $2.4T in the debt limit with no strings attached. The $2.7T of “cuts” is sure to be just smoke and mirrors, since it includes no entitlement reforms.

    Of course the MSM and the Dems will report it as the Dems “reaching out” with a “compromise” deal that “should appeal to both sides” blah blah blah.

  • silentcal2012

    Hot Air is reporting it too.So all three are MSM now? We got cuts with tax increases.

    The idea that this was the platform to achieve major entitlement reform was never the initial plan because it was a stupid plan.

    Originally, people wanted cuts commensurate with the ceiling hike. But the issue took on a life of its own by some overzealous armchair negotiators not living in reality.

  • silentcal2012

    Hot Air is reporting it too. So all three are MSM now? We got cuts with tax increases.

    The idea that this was the platform to achieve major entitlement reform was never the initial plan because it was a stupid plan.

    Originally, people wanted cuts commensurate with the ceiling hike. But the issue took on a life of its own by some overzealous armchair negotiators not living in reality.

  • carolina

    Sounds like Boehner is heading for a 2-step plan with a commission that is “consistent with CCB” (per his tweets)

  • edintexas

    “Balanced Budget” means budgeting expenditures which are balanced by income. If you don’t have the income, you don’t budget the expenditures. Hmmm. Sounds like my household.

    /start/

    Nahh, that will never work for a country. How could the country ever only spend up to the amount of money coming into the Treasury without spending way more by borrowing more? Why, that would be crazy!

    /end sarcasm/

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

    Boehner’s consistent approach has been to be willing to compromise. Understandably, this is driving folks like Erick Erickson up a tree, but how can he call it news today? His position is cut,cap and balance, but he is working on alternatives that can get support in Senate. This is what he said Friday, and last week, and a few weeks back, etc. Boehner had and has telegraphed that he didnt want default and would try to find common ground…. This is what the McConnell pre-cave was.

    BUT …. he also said he needs cuts larger than the debt ceiling raise AND he needed no tax increases.

    That particular line (and not CCB) is a line Boehner has held.

    It is odd to see the mainstream media report the Reid plan as a concession to Republicans yet see the
    In fact, it is a concession of sorts and we should recognize it. Late in the day, Reid has moved off the position of demanding tax increases combined with dishwater spending cuts. Now we have a ‘cuts only’ approach.

    Fake cuts or real cuts, the Reid plan is now arguably in the ballpark of what Boehner had laid down all along.

    We can criticize Boehner for not holding to a strict, no compromise, Cut-Cap-Balance or nothing approach. Clearly that position is the minimum needed wrt deficit reduction, but could it hold? The concern was that we would ‘crack’ after we got into default and end up in the lose/lose position. In other words, do we have 218 stalwarts for cut cap and balance through thick and thin?

    This may yet turn out reasonably well for the Republicans. No we will NOT get what we want, and yes, we do have leadership who seem to pre-cave to the other side rather than hold the line, BUT both the Reid bill and the 2-step bill are much closer to the Republican original demands than not.

    This is a reflection of Boehner’s consistent approach. Given the difficult position he has been in, boxed in via 2 on 1 negotiations that are spun by a Democrat-enabling media, its a wonder we get out any where’s ahead.

    To sum up, while I agree that Cut, Cap and Balance and holding the freakn line there is a viable and better approach, Boehner’s more compromising approach, of supporting Cut,Cap and Balance but not demanding it 100%, while frustrating to conservatives, is not a NEW embarrassment, but a consistent approach. If we get a lousy deal a la April, or something better, it is TBD on how fruitful it turns out to be.

    However, the latest news and shifts suggests advantages to the GOP, so lets not sell leadership down the river. Demand REAL CUTS, and support the 2-step plan, even if Obama threatens a veto.

    I will suggest that politically, Obama is taking a poll shellacking lately, and on that score it may be that Boehner et al have exposed Obama for the thinskinned misleading non-leader spendaholic he is. There will be some silver linings even if/when we get a half-a-loaf deal.

  • kajun65

    His tough position’s within his own party (specificly the Senate).

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

    Get real spending cuts as a downpayment, then do it again in February. Anything ‘clean’ is kick the can. Even Reid plan is better/more.

    In the meantime, fight over FY2012 budget.

    I also propose a simple way to get SOME real cuts on the table – a 50/50 compromise split on picking the cuts:
    http://www.redstate.com/wosg/2011/07/25/path-to-compromise-a-5050-split-on-cut-selection/

    So the Dems pick $1.2T in faked-up ‘cuts’ and we select $1.2T in real cuts.

    We can have budget fights and crises for the next 15 months, and the nation will be sick and tired of it. Dems will be toast because they are uncapable of ending their spendaholic ways.

  • mspector

    Being from California I’m skeptical of the BBA; it’s a great idea in principle and not a bad talking point, but California has had a BBA for years and has never produced a balanced budget. Let’s not kid ourselves: Congress will never produce a balanced budget and no Constitutional amendment will succeed in making it happen.

    That said, it was great that the House passed it and that the Senate voted it down, because a point of political principle got made.

    No “super-Congress” — why would anyone trust another Gang of 6?

    Pass the prioritization bill and be done with it. Let the Dems explain to the voters why they cannot swallow even the most insignificant spending cuts. We win.

  • Matt In The Hook

    This fight is making everybody look bad. The public wants a deal to avoid major market disruption; personally I think most of them don’t even care what it is anymore and assume it won’t really do anything to fix the problem long-term. They just want to make it past April 2.

    So what’s wrong with something $1T short of the “grand bargain” leaving out ALL of the revenue increases? That seems like a win. And it’s not a big enough win for the president who will then take heat from every direction for doing nothing about the long-term. Liberals will be incensed that he didn’t raise taxes, conservatives will be furious over the lack of real entitlement reform, moderates will be nervous that there isn’t enough real sacrifice from either camp to come to something that will establish us on firm footing. Credit rating agencies will probably slap us for falling short of the $4T, but it won’t be enough to cause meltdown.

    Again, how is this bad? This fight is a wake-up alarm, a call to arms, a first skirmish, whatever. It’s the first real battle of what will undoubtedly be a long slog in figuring out what the hell we’re going to do about our staggering debt load. You can’t possibly think that with a GOP controlled House and everything else D-controlled that there will be one climatic battle and that’s it.

  • pmiller683

    As a conservative and a republican ? I hate this fact. But the fact is; with Democrats majority in the Senate and Obama in the white house ? the outcome of holding the line will not gain anything. As much as I want to see Cut, Cap and Balance ? I don?t believe the political reality on the field will allow it at this time. Sucks I know.

  • carolynr

    For the life of me…I don’t see why this blog sheet and others won’t report why Reid tabled this CC&B…IT’S THE GD OBAMACARE. This mega TAX bill cannot be balanced without cutting out all of SS and Medicare…It’s time to see some Constitutional lawyers and see if we can get that repealed and get the CC&B passed…OH…REID AND MC CONNELL GO AS TRAITORS TO THIS REPUBLIC

  • pegasus

    we need to get Boehner out now. Obviously he is one of the “elite” who don’t give a damn about what his constituants (we the people) want, so how about we recall the fool and replace him with someone who is actually listening to the people, and will hold the line.

  • carolynr

    S&P, Moodys and Fitch WANT TO SEE THAT WE ARE SOLVING THE DEBT PROBLEM…NOT JUST PASSING MORE SPENDING AGENDAS.

    Either way…if we lose the rating…our taxes go up…because we lose our rating. THIS IS YOUR COMMUNIST PRESIDENT.

  • msabul

    CCB is the problem…not the plan, but the abbreviation. The passion behind CCB should be CUT the CRAP BUDDY! Period!!!!

  • RDCook

    There is a common tactic used in politics today that I will call ?The Denial of Success Tactic?. This is used when a politician promotes an idea that seems reasonable and is in the best interests of the public. The opposition uses every half-truth, lie, personal attack and distortion to attack the idea. They do this because they just can?t let the opposition have a success that might raise their opponent?s stature in the public eye.

    This is how Washington works

  • KC

    In his press conference following the Presidential Temper Tantrum – Boehner revealed he and Obama were close to a secret deal in which the Speaker agreed to $800B new, NET tax increases.

    I may be just a dumb ‘ole country boy from the sticks of Missouri, but agreeing to tax increases is CAVING where I come from.