Post by unlawflcombatnt on Jul 24, 2011 11:59:15 GMT -6
For once it appears the Republicans got something right. Sort of.
In this case, it's Obama's refusal to settle for a short-term extension of the Debt Ceiling. While the Great One has been regurgitating his "lets-not-kick-the-can-down-the-road" claptrap, his real motivation is becoming more apparent. He doesn't want to still be having this debate when it gets close to election time. He'd rather cut Medicare and Social Security now rather than later, in the hopes that his base will have forgotten by election time.
As such, it appears the only "adults" in the room (or semi-adults, at least), are the Republicans calling for a short-term deal. Such a short-term deal would not only solve the default problem at present, it would not require as large a commitment to cut Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.
But Obama would rather give away larger cuts in those programs now, so his sell-out wouldn't be as fresh in voters minds when the 2012 elections role around.
What Obama really wants to do is appease his big-money Corporate donors by agreeing to a long-term plan with no tax cuts, even if it does sell out his previous base. He's worried more about the money for his campaign, than the people who previously supported him.
He's counting on his ability to again deceive supporters into thinking he's on their side, instead of the side of big business, banks, and Corporate America.
But he needs money and time to do that. A "big" sellout now buys him both time to do so, and more money campaign contributions to finance it.
from the Huffington Post:
Republicans Float Short-Term Debt Ceiling Deal
As Democrats Insist On Long-Term Plan
7/24/11
by Amanda Terkel
"Republicans tried to set the stage for a short-term agreement to raise the debt ceiling on Sunday, even as Democrats continued to insist that a long-term deal needed to be worked out.
"I understand why they're saying they won't sign a short-term [deal], but I think they won't have any choice, and I think that's the only answer right now," Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
In a briefing with the Republican conference on Saturday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that he would press for a short-term deal -- with major spending cuts paired with longer-term deficit-reduction strategies -- as a way around the current impasse.
This new focus was apparent in the statements of Republicans who appeared on the Sunday morning public affairs shows. They accused President Obama of trying to push the date for the next debt ceiling increase beyond 2012 because he doesn't want to have to deal with it before his reelection.
"It's interesting that since 1972, Congress has raised the debt ceiling for six months or less 38 times. So we can surely extend it for five or six months -- have this committee of Congress come back and report on the way to continue to reduce our deficit, and in that way avert the disaster and make forward progress," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) on CBS's "Face the Nation." "The problem, I think, is that the single most important thing to President Obama is extending this beyond his reelection campaign. He just doesn't want to have to deal with it again."
"I know the president is worried about the next election. But my god, shouldn't we be worried about the country?" added Boehner on "Fox News Sunday."
Democrats, however, made clear they are still against a short-term deal, arguing that a debt ceiling raise should not be clouded by the politics surrounding the 2012 elections."
In this case, it's Obama's refusal to settle for a short-term extension of the Debt Ceiling. While the Great One has been regurgitating his "lets-not-kick-the-can-down-the-road" claptrap, his real motivation is becoming more apparent. He doesn't want to still be having this debate when it gets close to election time. He'd rather cut Medicare and Social Security now rather than later, in the hopes that his base will have forgotten by election time.
As such, it appears the only "adults" in the room (or semi-adults, at least), are the Republicans calling for a short-term deal. Such a short-term deal would not only solve the default problem at present, it would not require as large a commitment to cut Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.
But Obama would rather give away larger cuts in those programs now, so his sell-out wouldn't be as fresh in voters minds when the 2012 elections role around.
What Obama really wants to do is appease his big-money Corporate donors by agreeing to a long-term plan with no tax cuts, even if it does sell out his previous base. He's worried more about the money for his campaign, than the people who previously supported him.
He's counting on his ability to again deceive supporters into thinking he's on their side, instead of the side of big business, banks, and Corporate America.
But he needs money and time to do that. A "big" sellout now buys him both time to do so, and more money campaign contributions to finance it.
from the Huffington Post:
Republicans Float Short-Term Debt Ceiling Deal
As Democrats Insist On Long-Term Plan
7/24/11
by Amanda Terkel
"Republicans tried to set the stage for a short-term agreement to raise the debt ceiling on Sunday, even as Democrats continued to insist that a long-term deal needed to be worked out.
"I understand why they're saying they won't sign a short-term [deal], but I think they won't have any choice, and I think that's the only answer right now," Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
In a briefing with the Republican conference on Saturday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that he would press for a short-term deal -- with major spending cuts paired with longer-term deficit-reduction strategies -- as a way around the current impasse.
This new focus was apparent in the statements of Republicans who appeared on the Sunday morning public affairs shows. They accused President Obama of trying to push the date for the next debt ceiling increase beyond 2012 because he doesn't want to have to deal with it before his reelection.
"It's interesting that since 1972, Congress has raised the debt ceiling for six months or less 38 times. So we can surely extend it for five or six months -- have this committee of Congress come back and report on the way to continue to reduce our deficit, and in that way avert the disaster and make forward progress," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) on CBS's "Face the Nation." "The problem, I think, is that the single most important thing to President Obama is extending this beyond his reelection campaign. He just doesn't want to have to deal with it again."
"I know the president is worried about the next election. But my god, shouldn't we be worried about the country?" added Boehner on "Fox News Sunday."
Democrats, however, made clear they are still against a short-term deal, arguing that a debt ceiling raise should not be clouded by the politics surrounding the 2012 elections."