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The Spectacle Blog
If you cut through all of the political spin and media fog, here’s what’s happening in the so-called debt negotiations: Congressional Republicans are negotiating; Obama’s campaigning. They’re legislating (or at least trying to legislate); he’s grandstanding. They want to cut the debt; he wants to win reelection. The result: impasse.
That Obama is not negotiating in good faith is obvious. He hasn’t offered up a budget; he hasn’t proposed a debt reduction plan; and he hasn’t specified any real cuts save for a massive gutting of the defense budget.
Instead, Obama’s taken to holding fake press conferences (they’ll be another one today) where he pretends to be a leader and solemnly lectures Congress about the need for “action” and “getting it done.”
Of course, Obama has been deliberately murky and coy about what, exactly, it is that he wants “done.” He has, however, singled out the so-called corporate jet tax loophole as something that must be eliminated.
But as House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren, this “loophole” was something that Obama himself reauthorized in his 2009 “stimulus package,” which garnered not one House Republican vote. It takes real chutzpa to blame your political opponents for legislation that you yourself sponsored two short years ago.
Moreover, Ryan explained, this Obama stimulus tax policy (read: accelerated depreciation) applies not only to “corporate jets,” but to “lots of things,” including airplanes.
More tellingly, said Ryan, this one particular issue, the so-called corporate jet tax loophole, “never came up in our debt negotiations. It never came up in [our] discussions. The first time I heard about a corporate jet [tax] loophole — which was in his stimulus package —was when he mentioned it six times in a press conference.”
Of course, it’s not surprising that the first and only time Obama ever mentioned this “loophole” was in a press conference. Obama’s focused on reelection, not debt reduction. He’s playing for the cameras, not fiscal probity. He’s trying to win politically, not govern honestly or effectively.
Indeed, as Charles Krauthammer observes in today’s Washington Post, the president could not be “more political.
It’s like his Afghan surge wind-down date. September 2012 has no relation to any military reality on the ground. It is designed solely to position Obama favorably going into the last weeks of his reelection campaign.
What should congressional Republicans do? “Call Obama’s bluff,” says Krauthammer:
The Republican House should immediately pass a short-term debt-ceiling hike of $500 billion containing $500 billion in budget cuts. That would give us about five months to work on something larger…
Will the Democratic Senate or the Democratic president refuse this offer and allow the country to default - with all the cataclysmic consequences that the Democrats have been warning about for months - because Obama insists on a deal that is 10 months and seven days longer?
That’s indefensible and transparently self-serving. Dare the president to make that case. Dare him to veto — or the Democratic Senate to block — a short-term debt-limit increase.
In other words, stop playing footsie with the president. Demand that he make good on his rhetoric.
Oldefarte| 7.15.11 @ 10:52AM
John is absolutely correct in his accessment of this situation, and this presidident has continually masqueraded his personae/intent since November of 2008 and beyond. The pure shame is that a good portion of the voting public/citizenry still do not GET IT. They believe his orchestrated propaganda, and think that he's sincere. These so-called negotiations are nothing more than a smoke screen. When Republicans offer something which should be favorable to the Democrats, they shift positions and counter with a new proposal; all intended to stall/delay the taking away of that governmental credit card [paid for by taxpayers] so that they can continue their spending/giving away governmental benefits to their indigent constituents in return for same's votes. Its all a big game folks. Wake up and see the truth. These Democrats are nothing but domestic terrorists, and they do not have the country's interests at heart and are giving the finger to the taxpayers accordingly!!!!!!!!!
Handy| 7.15.11 @ 11:27AM
This is not the time for Republicans to compromise on the debt ceiling. Interest and principle repayments on our debt will continue. So will Social Security, Medicare, the courts and the military, as well as a bunch of unconstitutional budget items. All this, without raising a single tax.
If cuts are truly necessary, begin with earmarks, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Arts, foreign aid, education and agricultural subsidies, and on and on. Far from hurting our credit rating, bond holders (including foreigners) would cheer the new-found austerity.
There must be no new taxes. The Obama team knows that raising tax rates will bring in less revenue and exacerbate the deficit. When this happens, they will try to blame the Republicans by saying, "See, they didn't raise them enough."
Unless the Republicans cave in, the blame game won't work this time around, however. The electorate already blames Obama for the mess(es) we are in today. Don't believe me? He's down 8 percentage points to a generic Republican (47%-39%) according to Gallup.
Hold firm Republicans. The House should submit a balnced budget this year and schedule a vote on Cut, Cap and Balance. It would put the members on record, and send a message to the Senate that the peoples' chamber is serious.
Clint| 7.15.11 @ 11:57AM
"Ron Paul to launch ad opposing debt ceiling increase
(CNN) – Coming Friday to the airwaves in Iowa and New Hampshire: Rep. Ron Paul's first television ads of the 2012 campaign.
The 60-second commercial, which looks at the onset like a movie preview ad, highlights opposition by the longtime Republican congressman from Texas who is making his third bid for the White House to raising the nation's debt ceiling.
The spot starts with a notice that "the following preview has been approved for all audiences."
"In the '80s, they did it to Reagan. A debt ceiling compromise: Democrats promising spending cuts and delivering only tax hikes. The '90s brought more compromises, more broken promises and more new taxes," says the narrator of the ad.
The ad goes on to say that this summer "the next chapter will be written," referring to the debt ceiling negotiations.
"We know where they stand," says the narrator to images of President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
"But will our party leaders repeat the mistakes of the past? Will they choose compromise or conviction?"
The ad ends by touting Paul's longtime record of pushing for a much more limited federal government.
"One candidate has always been true. Ron Paul: Cut spending, balance the budget, no deals. Standing up to the Washington machine, guided by principle. Restore America now."
The Paul campaign says it's spending six figures to put the commercial on television in Iowa and New Hampshire, the two states that kick off the presidential caucus and primary calendar, which would make it the largest ad buy at this early point in the cycle–and the first major ad buy in the Granite State.
"Dr. Paul is committed to leading the charge against raising the debt ceiling and is running this campaign to win the presidency," Paul political director Jesse Benton tells CNN.
News of the ad was first reported by Politico. The airing of the commercial comes as the Paul campaign also begins a grassroots campaign to build opposition to raising the debt ceiling."
Conservative View| 7.15.11 @ 12:18PM
I listened to the President just a few minutes ago. I was struck by a couple of things. He was clear where he wants to spend more money, in education for example. He was very clear where he wants to cut, the military. Another 500 billion from the military will gut our military. It will cost jobs in Main, Virginia where they build ships, and all over the country where they build parts.
But what struck me the most was to total lack of spicifics in his speach. He says one thing, ie we need to do this and that and the other, and he hasn't suggested just how he plans on doing anything, other than gutting the military.
Second earlier this week he said he could not insure that military retirement checks or social security checks would go out if no deal with him is reached. In his speach today he said just how important he thought Social Security was to the seniors. Just what side of his mouth is he talking from?
When you take todays speach, and couple it with all he has said in the past, such as saveing jobs is so important, Seniors must be protected and the like, it becomes one damn lie after another.
The capper for me was when he said that we don't need a ballanced budget amendment. Hold on there a moment Mr. President. Listening to your little press conference today all I heard was the critical need to have one so long as you sit in that oval office.
Listening to all of this debt crisis debate, listening to the Republicans and Democrats and so on, I am left with one over rideing feeling. Professional Politicans, the political class, is only in it for themselves. It is time to toss the lot of them out. I don't want another professional politican in the white house. Give me someone with no damn expierence in government at all, but someone who knows how to fix a problem, who will be honest with me, and someone that knows that America will only recover if people have jobs, and money in their pockets. Damn if Herman Cain isn't sounding better and better to me every day.
LarryK| 7.15.11 @ 1:53PM
I vote for 'SHUT UP!"
No not "SHUT UP"
But "SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!"
martin j smith| 7.15.11 @ 2:04PM
Conservative view: Obama wants to win re-election and that is what this debt "crisis" is all about. he has no intention of making a deal or if he did I would not bank on his carrying out his end of the bargain. In oyther words I DO NOT TRUST HIM AT ALL.
But, I do agree with one thing --as a " fall back" plan ( that is plan B thru Z ). It would be wise to offer Obama a short term baby step plan in writing and let him as others have said put up or shut up. If he objects and the chances are almost 100% that he will--then ask for "his Plan" in writing.. If he refuses, the go to the American people and tell them Obama is a liar--but in a very subtle manner.
Conservative View| 7.15.11 @ 2:36PM
Martin:
Exactly my point about his duplicity. I absolutely agree with you.
A short term bill demanding his plan be submitted to congress is a great idea. If he or the liberals veto or vote it down, they are left holding the bag. If he doesn't have a plan, it will show, and if he has one that is spend, spend, only look like we're cutting through gimmics, hes' had it. Why in hell the Republicans don't do something like that is beyond me.
Lloyd Braun| 7.15.11 @ 2:41PM
Will there be anything left of this country at the end of Obuckethead's term as POTUS???
Solution: Remove him physically/forcibly from the WH, just do-it!!!
This guy (Omugabe) is scaring me, he's destructive and his form of patriotism is not American!!!
Oldefarte| 7.15.11 @ 2:42PM
I agree with Handy, Martin etc BUT you all must remember, if a default/slowdown occurs, the Democrats are in charge of deciding who, what etc gets paid [since Obama/Geitner etc control the purse strings/government check book]. The only permanent solution rests with next year's elections. Until voters replace the current president and his administration, along with as manay as possible of these liberal Democrat congressmen, the Rublicans are essentially in the back seat and the Democrats are driving the monetary car!!!!!!!!
Bob Grant| 7.15.11 @ 3:03PM
Republicans hold all the cards like the author said. Because he refuses to be specific on a long-term plan, the republicans are perfectly justified voting on a short term increase in the debt ceiling.
Send the bill to Reid and Obama. Let them lose sleep on whether the country goes into default.
Republicans have a perfect alibi if - God forbid - things go wrong.