The American Spectator

JP| 7.27.11 @ 12:27PM

If the President allows the deadline to pass, he could very well instruct the Treasury not to pay its obligations - ie default. This does go against what he and Geithner have been telling bankers the past few days (The Treasury Sec has been telling people that between the Treasury Dept and the Federal Reserve there is enough cash to keep the government going through October).

If the President does decide to cross this Rubicon, he will most certainly go on the PR offensive and blame the entire mess on the House GOP. The question is whether it would work. I'm betting that 45% of the voters would back the President. He has the bully pulpit, the media, and the entire Ruling Class on his side. However, the downside of this would be a serious sell-off on Wall St as well as perhaps a crash in bond prices. The dollar would get murdered, commodity prices of all sorts would spike, and bedlam would ensue. In short, the President would lose control of events very fast. And he hasn't the skills or the advisors to get him and the nation through it. His petulance would be out in broad daylight. Yet, the damge this could cause markets all over the world, not to mention our own economy would be immense.

That is why Boehnner has been firing off plans left and right. The President and Reid hold all the cards when it is said and done. The House GOP is playing a 3 dimension chess game where every move is a losing one.

Pecos Pete| 7.27.11 @ 12:58PM

Speaking of Continuing Resolutions to extend the budget ... anyone want to bet on the likelihood of another Continuing Resolution once the debt ceiling debacle is over.

My bet is that the Democrat Party will never approve a budget produced by the Republican House. Thus, another Continuing Resolution if even that is possible.

So, where would that leave us. Maybe with an unfettered King O?

Michael L. Hauschild| 7.27.11 @ 1:20PM

Everything Boehner says and everything he does, despite the hype, always proves a lack of conviction, it is invariably revealed to be composed of smoke and mirrors. He capitulates to himself fully as much as he capitulates to the ones raping our economy. He is repeatedly surgically implanted with a Tea Party spine but his metabolism is so corrosive with beltway acid that his resolve dissolves as soon as his lungs fill with podium air. The man is a fool, leading a cast of characters that have forsaken all but reelection. His intellect is incapable of economic reality; his rational has no room for the trappings of Republican representation; to him Republican stands not for responsibility to his constituency but constituency to beltway Republican incumbency.
It is my sincere wish that he be removed from his speakership and removed from office next election, so much so that I will contribute to any primary challenge fronted. He is the epitome of what is wrong with our representative system, a crybaby, a golf partner to monsters, the institutor of “committees” whose only function is to compete with the “gangs” of his ilk in the giving away what belongs to others.

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 1:49PM

"It is my sincere wish that he be removed from his speakership and removed from office next election, so much so that I will contribute to any primary challenge fronted."

Now THAT is interesting, Michael, you accuser of me (and others) for doing the same!!

Your hypocrisy is showing quite clearly, sir.

Oldefarte| 7.27.11 @ 3:22PM

It is my sincere hope that these tea party Floyds stop being critical of Republicans and begin critisizing Democrats instead [who are entirely responsible for this economic mess]. I got a paln for you........eliminate all governmental welfare, foreign aid, farm aid, the Education and
Energy Depts; drop an oil well every 500 feet in the Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific and restrict its production to the USA only; abort/defeat Obamacare, and leave SS/Medicare [and stop Democrats from stealing from seniors to pay for their welfare to the younger generation of drug addicts] alone. Oh, and convince morons in doublwides to vote the striaght Republican ticket on their ballots, would help also!!!!!!!!!

Michael L. Hauschild| 7.27.11 @ 1:26PM

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-.....-step-down

simon templar| 7.27.11 @ 1:44PM

The old guard GOP had no intention ever of pushing for real fiscal sanity, real cuts, and real spending restraint. The whole point of this dog and pony show was to create fear, panic, and dicredit the Tea party and the conservative argument. They want a wedge driven between Republican voters and conservatives and as much focus away from the Demoncrats as possible. That's why they offered no solutions, no plans, no bills, no proposals. Too stupid to deal with this demoncrat manipulation...and to squishy to stand firm. In the end, we will cave as expected. Once again the mantra, 'We are too weak, take what they throw us, and live to fight another day'.... the motto of beltway pundits, the GOP, and most republicans. Someday...someday..under a twinkling star and rainbow...we will get our GOP senate, house, and presidency..THEN we will have our conservative cake and eat it too!

simon templar| 7.27.11 @ 1:54PM

From Human Events, pretty much sums it up succinctly:
The Boehner plan is the ultimate distillation of what the Tea Party opposes. It’s the “best” the less irresponsible half of the two-party system can do, at a moment of supreme crisis when the entire country is finally paying attention to madcap government spending… and it would only knock about 30% off the deficit. The national debt would soar past $22 trillion by 2020. Boehner’s great triumph would be preventing the Left from using a debt crisis it created as leverage to squeeze more taxes out of Americans.

Seek| 7.27.11 @ 2:08PM

Devil's Advocate question: Isn't a half-loaf better than none? Is it not better to win tangible gains in the short run than to win nothing at all, in (false) hope of winning everything in the distant future?

Give House Speaker Boehner credit: He's doing what he can. He has to contend with a Democrat president, a Democrat-majority Senate, and a less than veto-proof GOP House. He's a reasonably solid conservative.

simon templar| 7.27.11 @ 2:22PM

Yes. But what tangible gains? He mishandle this right from the beginning. He fell into their trap to get him to negotiate with himself, did not effectively commmunicate to the public the game being played here and the real situation, and did not keep the focus on the democrats and their unwillingness to reduce spending. He tried for a political victory rather than real cuts and did not do that well. Much of it was predictable and nothing new or creative.

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 2:34PM

One thing is for sure.
Elections have consequences.
It's why we have them.
Let's continue voting out the old guard if they do not do what we hired them to do.
The main thing is though, that no Democrat should ever be allowed to win anywhere ever again.

If we do not actively vote Republican the blinding truth is that those who refuse to do so are begging for the Socialist-in-Chief's re election.

Third party's a pipe dream.

That's not to you personally, simon. I'm speaking generally.

simon templar| 7.27.11 @ 2:52PM

You are right, Margie. This whole situation is just so sad, frustrating, and frightening to be honest. Winning election is our only answer at this point and will take a few of them to put the right people in power. The thing is it will not happen until we change and learn how to better communicate the issues and the conservative viewpoint to the public at large and stop falling into the same political traps set by the demoncrats. Otherwise, we are finshed and I do not say this lightly or for dramatic effect. Most of all we must not turn against ourselves particularly the Tea Party. They are not crazy, nutballs, or extremist but just VERY concerned fellow Americans that have had enough and can not stomach anymore of this.

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 4:38PM

Dear sir:

You are correct, and I am in agreement with you 100%.

Just please be aware of one most important point: I do not think the TEA party are nuts.
I am a TEA partier in spirit, and in fact, have been contributing to the best conservatives that I possibly can, my entire voting life, and will continue doing so.

I'm a sister in Christ to Sarah and Michele. I adore Ronald Reagan. I believe in the big tent of the Republican party, and want to see it restored to its original platforms, like Sarah does.

The Clint/Tim*s and Hauschilds and some others do not represent the TEA party.

Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann would NEVER treat me with the utter contempt and vileness that these people do.

You must understand that there is a huge difference between the Ron Paul faction of TEA partiers, and the rest of the TEA party.

God bless you. And keep up the excellent posts!

Clint| 7.27.11 @ 4:49PM

Harris Poll: If Ron Paul Won GOP Nomination, He Would Split Vote With Obama.

TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011:

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.), an official candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, has performed well in several polls throughout his campaign. In may, Paul took second place in a CNN/WMUR poll of likely Republican voters. In June, Paul won a Republican Leadership Conference straw poll. At the beginning of July, Paul came in first in a Texas GOP poll, conducted by the Azimuth Research Group.

Perhaps the best indication of Paul’s candidacy so far is a Harris poll released today by Harris Interactive. According to the Harris poll, Obama and Paul would split the vote right down the middle if they were to run against each other in 2012.

Between July 11th and 18th, 2011, nearly 2200 adults were surveyed online by Harris Interactive. According to the Harris poll, 50 percent of those surveyed would vote for Paul if he were matched up against Obama and 50 percent would vote for the President.

The Tea Party Steps On RINO-CINO Margie's Face.

Burp !

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 5:13PM

"The Tea Party Steps On RINO-CINO Margie's Face.

Burp !"

No, it doesn't. You don't represent the TEA party!!
Sarah does, and Michele does.
Ron Paul is a lunatic and so are you.

God despises liars.

Clint| 7.27.11 @ 6:14PM

The Big Zany CrazyRINO-CINO Margie Bus Call The Lemon Pie Yellow.

The Tea Party Is Ramping Up For the 2012 Elections.

Watch & Learn RINO-CINO

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 8:23PM

The terrorist sympathizer speaks!

And Ron Paul and his bots listen!

Michael L. Hauschild| 7.27.11 @ 2:44PM

These fools are capitulating themselves into a frenzy for nothing. Anything they come up with will be killed in the Senate and/or vetoed by Obama. The plan here is for Obama to “save the nation” from the Republicans and the evil Tea Party by invoking the 14th Amendment.
Boehner is so stupid that he is expending all his arrows shooting at a shadow.

simon templar| 7.27.11 @ 3:03PM

Yes, they are freaking out too soon and buying into the Demoncrat fear tactics and not seeing that they have this POTUS idiot is on the run. Whatever they do they are going to be blamed and they just do not seem to get this. Neither are they managing the media image and the message here but letting the demoncrats control both. What we need is some truth telling and some DRAMA OF OUR OWN. Boehners prime time speech was lame and ineffective. Where is our plan? I am sure he think he is doing his best and is. However, the fact is he does not seem to possess the political skills to outmaneuver them.

Patrick| 7.27.11 @ 4:12PM

Our President foments crises and uses high-pressure tactics to 'sell' very bad bills. This is how we got Obamacare, etc. The Republicans have made a mistake of falling into the trap of 'negotiating deals' rather than use the regular, open, transparent legislative process to get things done. Bad process, bad result and a bad President. What can go wrong?!?

Clint| 7.27.11 @ 5:01PM

Good Heads Up Thinking Michael, But It's Being Handled.

We Tea Party Patriots Have Addressed The 14th Amendment Issue, Regarding The Debt Issue.

The Constitution Makes Clear That Congress Has The Authority, Not The President, To Borrow Money And Only Congress Can Increase The Statutory Debt Ceiling.

You're Standing Strong.

Regulars By God

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.

Carpe Diem.

Oldefarte| 7.27.11 @ 3:33PM

That plan, as Speaker Boehner himself understands, is far from perfect. But there is no reasonable prospect, given the current political balance of power in Washington, to get anything better on the debt ceiling issue. We cannot know exactly how financial markets will react to the various scenarios that might play out over the next several days, but the potential cost of finding out what the defeat of the Boehner Plan would be is not worth the risk.

If America's prospects for economic recovery are gravely impaired, if President Obama is able to turn the inevitable turmoil to his political advantage and achieve re-election, and if we face four more years of his debilitating economic and national security policies, the safety and security of America in the world may be damaged irreparably.

In politics as in battle, conservatives should remember Carl von Clausewitz's sage advice to be satisfied with identifying and achieving "the culminating point of victory." That does not mean total victory, but rather the maximum that can be achieved in any particular engagement. We should not stop short, but neither should we risk what we have achieved by proceeding dangerously beyond that culminating point.

There are many more battles to be fought to rescue our economy and preserve our national defenses. But on this present issue, we have reached the culminating point of victory. Let's not throw it away.

John R. Bolton
July 27, 2011

Oldefarte| 7.27.11 @ 3:35PM

PS: forgot the quotations, but obviously Amb. Bolton wrote the TRUTH above!!!!

C Bowen| 7.27.11 @ 4:35PM

Liberal Republican Bolton is the sort of coward that gets his panties in a bunch over Iraq, at the same time he yells surrender at home to an actual threat.

These liberal Chickenhawks of the Cheney 'Deficits Don't Matter' Wing need to be shone the door and pronto.

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 4:40PM

CBowen you are a nasty Paul-bot as I well know from your posts to me and others here over the past 2 years.
You simply despise just about everybody!

Clint| 7.27.11 @ 5:05PM

Support for Ron Paul Runs High Among Members of the Military

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.), an official candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, is extremely popular with members of the U.S. military. On July 19th, Paul held his “Ready for Ames” Money Bomb Radio Marathon, raising more than $550,000 from supporters to expand the Texas Congressman’s “first-class campaign in Iowa.” It’s likely that more than a few of the contributors to Paul’s “Ready for Ames” money bomb were men and women in uniform.

In fact, Paul’s popularity is so high among U.S. service members that the Texas Congressman’s presidential campaign has received more money from U.S. soldiers than any other candidate in the 2012 presidential race.

The Tea Party Ramps Up For The 2012 Elections.

Carpe Diem.

C Bowen| 7.27.11 @ 5:56PM

Margie--

You were the one who was scared of Saddam right? And favored sending other people to fight a multi-trillion dollar debt financed war?

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 6:09PM

You're the one who sympathizes with the terrorists, right? And hates the Jews, right?
Aren't you one of the ones here along with Clint/Tim* and his pals who blames America for terrorism?
Hmm?

C Bowen| 7.27.11 @ 6:20PM

No on both counts--but you really were scared of Saddam and supported sending other people, certainly not yourself, to fight in a multi-trillion dollar debt financed war.

The difference between your post and mine is clear.

Tell us again, were you scared of Saddam?

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 8:25PM

You're a liar, sweetie. And everyone here who has ever read your posts, knows it.

C Bowen| 7.28.11 @ 6:54AM

Margie;

Where am I lying? Were you scared of Saddam or not? Are you saying you knew Saddam was harmless but supported the war anyway?

Now, John Bolton, that guy is pro-Terrorist. He has stumped for a Marxist Terrorist Organization the MEK and he should be detained for doing as much.

Clint| 7.27.11 @ 6:28PM

"Michael Scheuer, the former head analyst at the CIA’s bin Laden unit, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the Republican Presidential debate held Tuesday May 15, when Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) stated that American foreign policy was a “contributing factor” in the 9/11 attacks.

In an interview with Antiwar.com’s Antiwar Radio on May 18, Scheuer, who was the head analyst at the CIA’s bin Laden unit, Alec Station, and authored the books Through Our Enemies Eyes and Imperial Hubris, said “I thought Mr. Paul captured it the other night exactly correctly. This war is dangerous to America because it’s based, not on gender equality, as Mr. Giuliani suggested, or any other kind of freedom, but simply because of what we do in the Islamic World because ‘we’re over there,’ basically, as Mr. Paul said in the debate.”

Scheuer also agreed with Dr. Paul’s statement in the debate that the war in Iraq was a diversion from capturing or killing Osama bin Laden and that bin Laden was “delighted” that the U.S. is occupying Iraq as it has become a training ground and recruiting tool for new jihadists joining the movement."

Clint| 7.27.11 @ 6:37PM

Ronald Reagan,
" Perhaps we didn’t appreciate fully enough the depth of the hatred and the complexity of the problems that made the Middle East such a jungle. Perhaps the idea of a suicide car bomber committing mass murder to gain instant entry to Paradise was so foreign to our own values and consciousness that it did not create in us the concern for the marines’ safety that it should have.

In the weeks immediately after the bombing, I believed the last thing that we should do was turn tail and leave. Yet the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics forced us to rethink our policy there. If there would be some rethinking of policy before our men die, we would be a lot better off. If that policy had changed towards more of a neutral position and neutrality, those 241 marines would be alive today."

Margie| 7.27.11 @ 11:02PM

Nut Bag Clint/Tim* gets his talking points from the other anti-semite and terrorist sympathizer, Michael Scheuer.
Do NOT be fooled by Clint/Tim*- he is NOT a true conservative!

Here are their views on American conservatives:

" Israel-Firsters, Evangelical leaders, and Neoconservatives: Each of the above problems is worsened by these U.S.-citizen-dominated but fundamentally anti-U.S. and Islam-hating entities; indeed, they also are fundamentally anti-Israel entities. Safely ensconced in North America with family, employment, and bank accounts safe, these groups champion a maximalist position for Israel vis-a-vis the Palestinians; hunger for America to be at war with Iran — a non-threat to the United States; and work for an ever-increasing level of Western hatred for Muslims. These individuals are both war-lovers and cowards, ready to push others into fighting and dying for their selfish objectives, while they remain unctuously self-righteous and personally safe far from the front. Together these three groups are one of the main reasons America is facing an endless war with Islam, and the loyalty of each to a foreign nation — and their effective lobbying for that nation — will drive increases in defense and intelligence spending.

These areas, it seems to me, are going to require significant infusions of money to address legitimate and expanding U.S. national-security concerns. The debt negotiators may for the moment ignore the fact that America is in a worldwide war because of their policies, but whatever defense-related cuts they implement eventually will have to be much more than restored when the reality of war again sinks into their heads.

At day’s end, relentless U.S. government interventionism cultivates more and more lethal enemies and sheds allies. The ultimate cost of this war-with-Islam-causing interventionism will much more defense spending not less."
~ Michael Scheuer.

Victor| 7.28.11 @ 7:44AM

Michael F. Scheuer is a former CIA intelligence officer, American blogger, historian, foreign policy critic, and political analyst. He is currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Security Studies. In his 22-year career, he served as the Chief of the Bin Laden Issue Station (aka "Alec Station"), from 1996 to 1999, the Osama bin Laden tracking unit at the Counterterrorist Center. He then worked again as Special Advisor to the Chief of the bin Laden unit from September 2001 to November 2004.

Margie sits at home in her curlers, mumu & fuzzy slippers.

Patrick| 7.27.11 @ 4:06PM

The reality is that this Boehner bill does is a FRACTION of what is needed. The Democrats added $1 trillion in spending PER YEAR, from 2007 to 2011, spending went from $2.6 trillion to $3.7 trillion. How on earth is a mere $1 billion or $7 billion or even $30 billion up to the task? The Ryan plan has $100 b in FY 2012 cuts and we dont even see that. All the Boehner plan does is cut out-year spending ramps down to what they should have been in the first place. This bill is really aboout 90% of the way to what the Obama budget has and wants, and goes only 10% of the way towards what we need.

One can argue that this is the best the Congress can do, given the Senate being run by Sen Reid and the Democrats, and obama in the White house. I agree, and given that, an 'aye' vote maybe the best option. The boehner plan is better than Reids non-cut cuts that are so smoke-and-mirrors its really just a clean debt ceiling raise in disguise.

BUT, whatever bill becomes law - we could have and should have fought for much, much more, more real cuts NOW in spending, now out-year games and phony non-cut cuts. A phony sham cut is worse than doing nothing as it pretends to reduce Big Government but really doesnt.

After the debt ceiling crisis is over, we will have to go back and refight for every reduction in spending possible, and get the House GOP rededicated to keeping their promises to cut the spending. This 'deal' is dishwater.

simon templar| 7.27.11 @ 5:00PM

They should have stayed with their Cut, Cap, and Balance and not budged and submitted no more bills. Just plain stupid negotiating with themselves and allowing their opponents to provide nothing. Talks should have been in the open and the public updated at every turn. when Bamy objected he would look like an idiot and have gone sour on his transparency promise. The bill should have been presented to the public and explained clearly. They should have emphasized closing loopholes and reforming the tax code to garner more revenue and stated what that amount would be in increase to pay down debt. They should have created their own drama and showed the public how they were going to save the medicare and social security programs for at least the short term.

air max 95| 7.28.11 @ 5:32AM

It gets better. With reduced volume in new Treasuries, the vampire squid and the smartest guys in the room have their pockets pinched, courtesy of US

axbucxdu| 7.29.11 @ 1:11PM

Yes indeed. Calls must have come down on high from Jamie and Lloyd. They didn't like the criticism, not one bit.