-
A Long Record of Obamite Thuggery
May 16, 2013 | 3 comments
-
DeMint Supports Defense
May 14, 2013 | 5 comments
-
Update on Tom Perez
May 14, 2013 | 0 comments
-
Tiger Woods Sinks Lower
May 12, 2013 | 20 comments
-
I Ask Anurima Bhargava for a Date
May 10, 2013 | 8 comments
The Spectacle Blog
Look, I’ve never thought this whole idea of using the debt limit as a major line in the sand was a good idea. I think there are too many things that could go wrong, and I think it’s not a good idea to risk the whole economy — which IS, indeed, at risk — in order to try to win a battle that could blow up in our faces. I also seriously think that Obama welcomes a crisis, and even a bit of civil unrest, because crises and civil unrest allow him more excuse to have government step in and impose “order” and thus take more power. So this whole thing makes me profoundly nervous.
Yet, EVEN AFTER SAYING ALL THAT, I think Mitch McConnell’s back-up plan presented today is an absolute capitulation and a gift of power to Obama. Forget all the complicated procedural details. None of them matter. All that matters is that the end result is that Obama can, in effect, raise the debt limit several more times, for a total of about two trillion dollars, unilaterally. After all of the success in getting Obama to not just commit rhetorically to well over a trillion dollars in cuts, but to actually put on the table some specific entitlement savings (reportedly), it would be far worse to forfeit any spending cuts than it would be to allow a few minor tax loopholes to be closed. The McConnell plan effectively forecloses real opportunities for major savings.
I’m actually for compromise, at the edges, for a deal that achieves major spending cuts. But what McConnell has suggested is not a compromise; it would be a major loss.
View all comments (39) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/07/12/not-only-no-but-nonononono-on
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
Current Issue
- Boys and Girls
- Downton’s Class System — and Ours
- The Continuing Crisis
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Interested Conservative| 7.12.11 @ 11:00PM
Quin - Here's a technical question I've not heard covered.
As I understand the McConnell plan, there will be a single vote which establishes the three resolution process. Good so far. Then, the objection is that the resolutions simply give the POTUS all the discretion since he'll have un-veto-proof numbers in the house and senate under the 2/3 vote rule. Understood.
BUT, does the plan require the house to bring the resolution to a vote? IOW, could they repeat the negotiating stance by refusing to vote on whatever sham "cuts" the POTUS submits? In which case we have the same situation we're in now?
Just wondering if there's anything there to force specific cuts which would drive a wedge between the POTUS and the Dem. Senate?
Still - I'm afraid the initial objections stand.
Timothy L. Pennell| 7.13.11 @ 6:44AM
I have a better idea. Why doesn't McConnell just do his GODD*MN JOB? Why doesn't he stand firm for what's RIGHT?
I thought these people could read Polls? I thought that they lived and died, by these things? 60 to 70% DO NOT want the Debt Limit Raised.
We sent this rat faced little weasel to Washington, to END THE SPENDING SPREE. If he's not up to the job, he should step aside, and let someone who is, take over.
"But, Obama's threatening Seniors with not giving them their Social security Checks."
So? If OBAMA doesn't give them their checks, then it's OBAMA'S FAULT, then, isn't it?
Stop listening to your little weasley advisors. Stop listening to the Liberal Media.
It's time to listen to US. I think we spoke quite loudly, in 2010. If you didn't get the message? Maybe we should make it CLEARER.
ANY Republican who CAVES, will be gone. Anyone who DEALS, will be gone. You think you're looking after YOUR JOB. I can assure you, you're doing just the opposite.
You will LOSE your job. Our KIDS will LOSE their Futures. Obama will be Re-elected. And the United States of America, AS WE KNOW IT, will cease to exist.
Is that CLEAR enough for you?
If you don't want to end up like a JUROR, from the Casey Anthony trial? I suggest you DO YOUR JOB.
Glein| 7.12.11 @ 11:01PM
Amen! But Boehner and McConnell have not got the fortitude to stand strong. They will sell us all out and future generations. That will be the Republican legacy to future generations. The Party of Lincoln who freed the slaves and saved the Union will make us all slaves and destroy the Union.
bluecollarbytes| 7.12.11 @ 11:11PM
Come election time, Obama can rightfully share the 'credit' with any Republican that supports handing him this power to increase the debt.
Clint| 7.12.11 @ 11:36PM
The RINO-CINO GOP Ruling Elite Fops & Their Apologist Flunkies Are Attempting To Raise The Debt Ceiling & ForceFeed Mitt Romney Down Our Throats.
We Tea Party Patriots Draw The Line In The Sand & Either Short Stop The RINO-CINO Faux Conservatives Or We Walk From This Phoney Party.
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.
Rise Up In Open Rebellion.
Kingofthenet| 7.12.11 @ 11:56PM
Good, NO DEAL than when(and it is a question of when) the USA defaults and NO one gets paid, and you throw the USA credit under the Bus, well we will see Rethugs...
WL| 7.12.11 @ 11:58PM
For once Mr. Hillyer...I FULLY AGREE WITH YOU.
Darn the Torpedos....Darn the Arrows...
This president is daring us to take him to the wire....
LET IT GO!!!!!! Let him stop the checks.
Seriously...I am convinced that we cannot defeat the Leviathan without some severe pain and turmoil...
So it might as well be now...
What did the commander (101st airborne) at Bastogne say when the enemy demanded surrender?????
Ah, NUTS!
We need an Ah, Nuts moment RIGHT NOW....
WL| 7.12.11 @ 11:59PM
And if these spineless Repubs won't give it to us...
Then get rid of them to RIGHT NOW.
Paul..Demint...Lee...and the other conservatives need to break the party apart.
Clint| 7.12.11 @ 11:59PM
"If the debt ceiling is not increased, the Treasury can prioritize interest and debt payment to avoid a default and essentially put the government on a stringent pay-as-you-go basis. Would that involve extreme cuts in government spending? Certainly. But it could be done, if it had to.
Let's remember that the Treasury still rakes in quite a bit of money in revenues — it took in $604 billion (seasonally adjusted) in the third quarter of 2010. In FY 2010 the annual debt service was some $414 billion, working out to an average of about $104 billion per quarter. Although the numbers won't be quite the same going forward, the debt service will soak up only about one-sixth of the incoming revenues."
Spicy Joker| 7.13.11 @ 12:12AM
Mitch McConartist, John Boner, and Eric Cantwhore are not only worse than Repubics of yesteryear like Howard Baker, Alan Simpson, and Nancy Landon Kassebaum; they're nothing but closet Democrats.
Van Sharpley| 7.13.11 @ 12:25AM
Any Pres. that won't guarantee SS checks, should resign.
Where are the candidates? This is a perfect opportunity for Bachmann, or Perry, or Palin - to make the guarantee, and call for Obama's resignation.
And speaking of resignations, McConnell obviously doesn't like, nor want to be in the leadership position. What would it take for him to be removed as leader?
Bob K.| 7.13.11 @ 8:44AM
Amen to that!
Any President who won't guarantee that SS checks will be there for older Americans should resign! Especially a Democrat!
Roosevelt and Truman must be rolling over in their graves to hear a Democrat threaten to stop them!
Where is the Republican candidate who will say that? Reagan would have jumped on that so fast that the election would have been half over!
Throw Obama's words back into his face!
RJ| 7.13.11 @ 1:51AM
I am not comprehending the media and politicians. Maybe someone can explain their reasoning to me. Didn't our financial problems come from too much bad debt? Why is even more debt needed to restore the economy? Why will credit markets freak-out if the US doesn't go deeper into debt?
The media and Beltway politicians remind me of Jim Jones pushing Kool-Aid to his followers. Seems to me that the government is run by a bunch of junkies addicted to stealing other people's money.
Siegfried X| 7.13.11 @ 6:18AM
Ultimately the blame has falls on the Republican citizens. Everytime we reelect a RINO, we tell the Republican party leadership to act like Democrats. (McCain = tough talking RINO P.O.W; Christie = tough talking RINO who got in one punk's face; Giuliani = tough talking RINO who once-upon-a-time was tough on some kinds of crime).
When we don't notice or care that famous "Republican" columnists spent most of their life as Democrats, and still agree with the Democrats about everything but war, we give permission for cave-ins like McConnell's.
When we just yawned while the Republican Senate rubber-stamped all of Obama's Supreme Court justices, we gave them permission for this cave-in.
When we yawned and said "Democrats are bad. Lesser of two evils", when President Bush passed a bunch of Ted Kennedy's legislation, and McCain helped the Democrats all during the 2000's and then we gave him the nomination, we gave permission for today's cave in.
Since the Tea Party isn't putting heat on anyone in next year's election, the RINOs have returned to their old tricks. They think the Tea Party was a one-shot rebellion which has passed.
Siegfried X| 7.13.11 @ 6:27AM
McConnell is reelected after every 2 year election by a majority of Republican Senators. He is doing what the Republican Senate WANTS. McConnell is just their spokesman.
Van Sharpley| 7.13.11 @ 9:55AM
What about DeMint (and his band of brothers)?
Have they not influenced enough other Senators to be a significant opposition to McConnell?
Siegfried X| 7.13.11 @ 10:50AM
DeMint has said very little this year, and the liberal Republican Senators have stopped sniping at him. I wonder if a "deal" was struck.
One thing DeMint said was that he was involved in the elections so that a few more like him could be elected. So DeMint's group is very small and outnumbered.
Siegfried X| 7.13.11 @ 10:50AM
DeMint has said very little this year, and the liberal Republican Senators have stopped sniping at him. I wonder if a "deal" was struck.
One thing DeMint said was that he was involved in the elections so that a few more like him could be elected. So DeMint's group is very small and outnumbered.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 7.13.11 @ 6:57AM
Certified wimps are running the Republicans, into the ground.
Clint| 7.13.11 @ 7:36AM
" (Ron) Paul was the only GOP House member TPM found Tuesday afternoon willing to take a firm stand against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) plan to hand the White House full authority to raise the debt ceiling with Congress only able to disapprove with a two-thirds vote. Conservative groups, Tea Party members outside Congress and activists are incensed over McConell's fall back plan.
"I wouldn't like that," Paul told TPM. "Congress should assume responsibility for itself" and figure out a way to cut spending.
Paul also dismissed talk that McConnell's lead trial balloon has undercut Republicans position in the debt talks.
"I don't think it has much effect," Paul said. "If it were [Speaker John] Boehner, it would have been a different story because we have the majority" in the House.
Michele Bachmann, a competitor for the GOP primary, declined to comment on the plan. "
Siegfried X| 7.13.11 @ 7:47AM
Just like Chicago Cubs fans, the Republican Senate always says "Wait until next year".
In 2010 they said "We can't stop the Democrats and we have to rubber stamp approve Obama's Supreme Court Justices because the Democrats only need one of us to break a filibuster."
Now in 2011 they say "We can't resist the Democrats or stop Obama's justices because we don't have a majority".
Back when they had a majority they most did nothing, except passing Ted Kennedy's legislation.
But every election they ask for our money and votes because "we can make a difference".
Pecos Pete| 7.13.11 @ 7:54AM
What it comes down to is that we need to elect many more conservative members of Congress. Enough to control both houses of Congress.
And, of course, elect a Republican as president in 2012.
Bob K.| 7.13.11 @ 8:52AM
What we need are legislators who have the stones to take the fight to the President! To get into his face on issues like this! And to do it publicly when he is in their presence.
JP| 7.13.11 @ 9:03AM
The McConnel Plan forces the President and the Dems to own all increases in the debt. Quin, it is obvious now that the President is willing to shutdown the government via the debt cieling debate. He is in full campaign mode now. The Dems fully intended demogogue this issue and try to fully place the blame of everything on McConnel and Boehnner. This plan takes that away. Obama cannot now shut-down the government. He and his party can increase the debt cieling all they want - but they now own all future defecits.
Nivlac| 7.13.11 @ 11:19AM
Great!
Now we as Americans can stand amidst the rubble of the Republic and say, "I told you so."
No way in Hell we should allow this! Time to go to the mat on this--no raises in the debt ceiling! Vote out any one who would put their political future ahead of the well being of the Nation.
Time to work the phones and emails! RISE UP AMERICA! LET'S SHOW THESE COWARDS THAT WE STILL HAVE THE BLOOD AND IDEALS OF AMERICA!
Oldefarte| 7.13.11 @ 10:28AM
I'm completely with you Quin [and others] regarding this situation. The problem has always been and is Obama and the Democrats, who everyone should now see as totally domestic terrorists. His threatening to no issue federal checks should paint a clear enough picture of their Chicago Way street thug tactics, and anyone not now GETTING IT is truly stupid! How dare these MF's decare their intentions of withholding payments that they know can/should rightfully be paid [on a priority basis] after 8/2/11. I believe that the Republicans should hold their ground and let the deadline arrive, which would force priortizing federal payments, and if Obama and these Democrats DO WITHHOLD federal checks, then the American voting public should politically toast them come november of next year. I say call their bluff, and then if they do as they are threatening to do, put an end to their political careers next year. This is nothing but POLITICAL EXTORTION! Alternatively, what I know about Newt Guingrich's proposal of the House Republicans [with their majority] passing a say $500 billion cut/decrease in federal spending along with a corresponding $500 billion debt limit increase, and sending same passed bill over to the Senate is a good idea [it would therefore force Reid and the other Senate controlling Democrats to defeat it and the political monkey would therefore be upon their backs as being responsible for the non-raising of the debt limit]. What do you all think about Newt's idea????????
Van Sharpley| 7.13.11 @ 11:06AM
Do you think Boehner would ignore a good strategy - because it came from Newt? Or, does he just not have a strategic view about being the opposition?
My conclusion is that Boehner does not have a deep desire to cut spending.
Oldefarte| 7.14.11 @ 12:49PM
No, I think that possibly Newt's comments were a reaction to McConnell's. IMO the former's would paint the [Senate] Democrats into a corner than would the latter's [which sounds to me like total capitualition mostly for the sake of avoiding a financial crisis resulting from a default type cituation]; but again both are supposedly last resort proposals. Obama and these Democrats are not going to negotiate [they haven't even passed a budget in two years], and this situation just paints a true picture of their domestic terrorism IMO. They don't care of the possible consequences of a default/major government disruption, as long as they get their partisaned STOLEN CREDIT CARD!!!!
Oldefarte| 7.14.11 @ 12:49PM
No, I think that possibly Newt's comments were a reaction to McConnell's. IMO the former's would paint the [Senate] Democrats into a corner than would the latter's [which sounds to me like total capitualition mostly for the sake of avoiding a financial crisis resulting from a default type cituation]; but again both are supposedly last resort proposals. Obama and these Democrats are not going to negotiate [they haven't even passed a budget in two years], and this situation just paints a true picture of their domestic terrorism IMO. They don't care of the possible consequences of a default/major government disruption, as long as they get their partisaned STOLEN CREDIT CARD!!!!
Oldefarte| 7.14.11 @ 12:49PM
No, I think that possibly Newt's comments were a reaction to McConnell's. IMO the former's would paint the [Senate] Democrats into a corner than would the latter's [which sounds to me like total capitualition mostly for the sake of avoiding a financial crisis resulting from a default type cituation]; but again both are supposedly last resort proposals. Obama and these Democrats are not going to negotiate [they haven't even passed a budget in two years], and this situation just paints a true picture of their domestic terrorism IMO. They don't care of the possible consequences of a default/major government disruption, as long as they get their partisaned STOLEN CREDIT CARD!!!!
martin j smith| 7.13.11 @ 10:30AM
I think the main problem of McConnell's plan are tow fold: First McConnell himself. Why does he have the need to come up with such a plan ? Ah, yes --who will be blamed. Actually Obama did the Repubs a really big favor with his public comment on withholding social security etc unless there is a deal. Who now is throwing grand ma under the bus or, over the cliff ? This is what the Repubs should be pointing to and putting out national wide adds. They are not hard boiled enough and need to be pushed.
The second issue is this: Give Obama an inch and he will take five hundred miles. No matter how " well intended " or how strategic you might be, you must "know" Obama. This is my second major objection and points to a lack of understanding of policitcal strategy Boehner and McConnell have.
Bottom line: Both of these bozoz need to be reminded who they represent--and there phones and e-mails must be jammed. A direct threat must be put to both of these guys--you skrew up and you will pay politically big time.
Wayne | 7.13.11 @ 10:46AM
I agree Obama made a mistake. Now I am hearing seniors say that Obama threatened to cut off their social security. This message sticks even after an agreement. Seniors know Obama has no regard for them except of course their votes.
martin j smith| 7.13.11 @ 10:31AM
Oh yea, I forgot to mention one point. We need new leadership.
Wayne | 7.13.11 @ 10:44AM
Its the Pontious Pilot plan. As the old saying goes, if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. Time for the GOP Senate to get a new leader.
Meanwhile I like Newts plan. 1. Don't negotiate with Obama as its a waste of time. 2. Pass a bill in the House with a 100 Billion increase dedicated to SSN, Medicare and Military payments in the debt limit and 100 Billion in cuts. Do it each month and let Reid decide how to pass it in the Senate. If it doesn't pass, the shutdown is on him. If he does and Obama doesn't sign it, then the shut-down is on him.
Nivlac| 7.13.11 @ 11:22AM
I like it!
Nivlac| 7.13.11 @ 11:22AM
I like it!
martin j smith| 7.13.11 @ 10:54AM
Yes Wayne the problem of "blame" have been at least partially solved by the gifts that Obama keeps on giving--without intending to of course. His remarks are a real gift that Repubs should avail themselves of. But the unemployment levls are a factor. I think the American people need to be focused on these things: 9.2% unemployment,
Greece--is this what we really want ? And inflation. Oh yes--where is Obama's plan for the economy--with these matters: who will get the blame ?
Oldefarte| 7.13.11 @ 11:06AM
Wayne & Martin: Excellent points, I couldn't agree more. My only hope is that as you say that the majority of voters now get it as to who/what this guy [and Democrats] truly are [since they have completely come out of their political closets]!!!!!!
yisong| 10.29.11 @ 2:45AM
Three Row Roller Bearings are constructed with three independent rolls of rollers to handle a combination of axial, radial and overturning moment loads. http://www.1stbearing.com