Ruminations on the Deal by JoeB

[JoeB131]

A couple of thoughts.

First, I think that this shows a real weakness in Obama as a president. By my count, this is about the fifth time that he's gone to Congress and got rolled, to where what he wanted looked nothing like what he got. And this isn't just a Republican thing, because a few of these things happened when Dems controlled both houses. The Stimulus, Health Care, the Bush Tax Cut extension, he went in with an agenda, and he blinked. He took a knife to a gunfight. Add appropriate metaphor here....

I think this goes beyond partisanship. I didn't care for Bill Clinton particularly, but I can't deny he was an effective president, and was able to accomplish things despite losing congress and even getting impeached. But he could get things done, and he controlled the conversation. I have a feeling that if Hillary had become president, she would not be having these kinds of difficulties.

Second- the TEA Party- clearly showing strength through unity and focus. A lot of the talking heads bemoaned their influence, but they stuck to their guns and got what they wanted.

 

[PoliticalChic]

A couple of thoughts.

First, I think that this shows a real weakness in Obama as a president. By my count, this is about the fifth time that he's gone to Congress and got rolled, to where what he wanted looked nothing like what he got. And this isn't just a Republican thing, because a few of these things happened when Dems controlled both houses. The Stimulus, Health Care, the Bush Tax Cut extension, he went in with an agenda, and he blinked. He took a knife to a gunfight. Add appropriate metaphor here....

I think this goes beyond partisanship. I didn't care for Bill Clinton particularly, but I can't deny he was an effective president, and was able to accomplish things despite losing congress and even getting impeached. But he could get things done, and he controlled the conversation. I have a feeling that if Hillary had become president, she would not be having these kinds of difficulties.

Second- the TEA Party- clearly showing strength through unity and focus. A lot of the talking heads bemoaned their influence, but they stuck to their guns and got what they wanted.

Welcome to the board, Joe.

Allow a few of my thoughts....

First, how pleased do you think President Obama is that this deal carries through 2013, so he doesn't have to reveal his economic ineptitude prior to the election?

Second, if the commissariat of 12 cannot agree on enough spending cuts to accomodate the deal, there would be automatic cuts, largely out of defense. Do you think the Democrats will be displeased with this scenario?

And, last, if you think the idea of $100 billion a year in spending cuts is significant, consider this:
“We forget now that when Reagan came into office in 1981, he forced through Congress not only his famed, historic tax cuts, but also a package of budget cuts. That package was close to 5% of the Federal budget at the time, which would be the equivalent of roughly $200 billion today."
Peter Ferrara, “America’s Ticking Bankruptcy Bomb,” p.173-174.

Think this is a good deal for conservatives?

 

[JoeB131]

PoliticalChick, I don't think it's a good deal for anyone, actually. I think it was the best deal we could get with this senate and this president, and it changed the tone of the conversation from 900 Billion dollar stimulus to we need to be practical.

Obama did get a pass on having to do this again in 2012, and that's not so great, but do you really want to give him a reason to grandstand or play to his base? A part of why this went so long was that he desperately tried to raise taxes, and get the GOP as co-signers on the bill, driving a wedge between TEA and the GOP establishment.

I don't think we are going to get serious on budget balancing until we have a GOP Congress and Senate, but this at least draws a line in the sand. And it exposes Obama as weak.