Fiscal Cliff: Obama finally getting the hang of this presidency thingee
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Fiscal Cliff: Obama finally getting the hang of this presidency thingee
Every day, I grow more amazed at how what seemed like kind of a nothing presidential election (Clinton-Dole in '96 was my role model) may bring about more radical change than anyone could have ever predicted. Take the Fiscal Cliff (pictured above). Do you remember what President Obama and his fellow travelers in the Democratic Party used to be like? Do you remember the debt ceiling fiasco of 2011 (which seems like it was only last year)? Remember how their idea of a "negotiation" was to start -- start! -- with the compromise, so that when the Party of No said "no" (as they always do), they had to move to the political right to get anything.
Today, Team Obama came in with their opening gambit on the fiscal cliff -- and it was a political left hook. So now Drudge is highlighting how Mitch McConnell "laughed," but you know he was crying inside, because it only took 46 months or so, but Barack Obama has finally learned how to negotiate. So now it's the Republicans who will have to dance to the center or, seeing as they lost that election and all, maybe even (gulp) the center-left. Ditto with Susan Rice -- pre-2012-election Obama would have dropped her like a hot potato, in the same way that Shirley Sherrod was pushedbecause Glenn Beck was going to say nbad things about her, But now, as James Carville would say it, they're stickin'.
The days of Mammoth Cave may be over.
Amazing. Apparently winning the popular vote in four out of five presidential elections -- which is where things stood at this time four years ago -- didn't convince the Democrats that America is a center-left nation. But winning 5 out of 6 -- that finally emboldened them!
Go figure.
Chew on this over the weekend and I'll see you on Sunday.
Comments (73)
- Well, here's one conservative who agrees with you.
— michael_b - Good to see we can find some common ground.
— wokmaster - Depends. If you want to cut from weapons and put more funds into veteran medical, I'm all for it. And without a doubt there are quite a few projects that could be cancelled or postponed.
But I wouldn't cancel the F-35 fighter. If you understand the capabilities and the weaknesses in the current fleet, you see how necessary this program is to maintain a rapid response capability.
//shave $800-900 BILLION a year off the deficit///
Not sure where you are getting your numbers, but the total defense budget is about $700 billion a year (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/defense-spending-fact-of-the-day_n_1746685.html) - "Now you can sit in your partisan chairs and call the other side simple-minded, but you better hold up the mirror if you are adopting the asinine position that tax increases alone are going to foot the bill for the additional spending that this administration has racked up." The clear first point here is, in order to frame their argument, the right must pretend to not be so very partisan, and must continually suggest there is some huge increase in spending that has occurred more recently. When they read the PPACA act increased spending and decreases the deficit, they go cross. They examine the details for about two seconds, then move on to something else, then conclude that spending is out of control. No one thinks tax increases is going to eliminate deficits. The notion that having Obama actually sign a spending proposal into law will make estimates more accurate is nonsense. Its a lark, a ruse. No one (of sense) buys that notion.— Murrayman
- You're right. See these conservative estimates from an article by the Washington Post. I know, its only a half trillion--we're not talking about real money.
2008: $2.98 trillion
2009: $3.27 trillion
2010: $3.46 trillion
2011: $3.60 trillion
2012: $3.65 trillion
2013: $3.72 trillion
I am an independent trying to take a pragmatic approach to a real problem. I believe cuts have to occur across the board along with rational tax increases. You can follow Krugman into the abyss if you want, I will take my chances with this approach.— Origami - "But, no, let's focus on cutting the programs which Americans have been paying into" Not only do they focus on cutting them, they vilify them. Levyn was on just last night suggesting that, because the SS surplus is invested in Treasuries (increase in Intragovernmental Holdings) its a total government fraud, the money has been spent. Of course Mr. Producer probably protected him from any caller that would dare ask, "when is the last time the Treasury defaulted on either an interest or principal payment back to the SS fund? They need to suggest its a ponzi scheme, with its attenuating images of -- well Ponzi, and Madoff, in order for that mind trick to turn people against the program.— Murrayman
- "Medicare as we know it will end Medicare as we know it. Facts - stubborn things." Yeeees. And fishwrap stands ready to act reasonably in the face of any plans to crimp Medicare excess cost growth. So when the PPACA creates committees designed to look at the effectiveness of certain treatments -- "Dea1h panels!". The committee, by law, cannot make actual treatment decisions - "No matter. Dea1h panels!"— Murrayman
- For anyone paying attention, the Republican posture if complete bs. This really has very little to do with taming the deficit and mostly to do with finding other avenues to stave off tax increases - to Clinton-era levels - to the core of it's base...those making over a quarter million a year. Let's go over "the cliff" and let the chips fall where they may.— wokmaster
- "The Ds are indicating absolutely no cuts to entitlements whatsoever. Now who exactly is the Party of No?"
Are you talking about those things that people pay payroll taxes to fund? Yes, maybe we can give more subsidies to Exxon with it - good idea!
Republicans are unaccustomed to Dems with a backbone (to tell you the truth, so am I). Get used to it. This last election was not an anomaly, I think it was actually a political high point for the Rs. Without voter suppression or electronic voting fraud (don't count on that anymore - We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us) you are looking at sliding into political oblivion.— Hamlet - The Republican plan that we could run up huge deficits by starting two wars without paying for them (indeed, cutting taxes at the same time)and therefore eventually force a renegotiation of the New Deal was overwhelmingly defeated in this election. Yes, there have to be common sense adjustments to programs such as Medicare---with people living 10-15 years longer, we need to adjust benefits and institute means requirements for this program. But Social Security? No way. It has nothing to do with the deficit (except that Social Security funds have been used to pay for tax cuts for the rich)--people have paid in for 50 years and are entitled (in the true sense of the word) to those benefits. The military budget should be cut 30% with the end of the Iraq war and winddown in Afghanistan. We do not want to be the world's policeman and it has been a terrible policy both for the mindset of this nation and it's place in the world. However, we need to spend more for infrastructure here as well as to stimulate the economy. Then, as the economy picks up, tax revenues will pay off the deficit. Austerity in times of slack growth causes Depressions---anyone who buys voodoo, er, supply side economics at this point simply is drinking Republican Kool Aid.— Palestra Jon
- It's pretty clear Republicans are still in the bubble.
The Bush tax cuts were supposed to be temporary and I do blame Obama for continuing them. But the lions share of the increased deficit and debt, is due to these tax cuts, along with two unfunded wars and additional Medicare spending.
Obama already cut Medicare and non defense spending through the Budget Control Act of 2011. What are the Republicans cutting?— chasing history - I don't know, Jon. We REALLY, REALLY need the Virginia class submarine ($2 billion each)...— Hamlet
- This coming from a guy who "rolls his eyes" when someone mentions they are from the military. Your opinion on the need for a particular weapons system isn't exactly unbiased.
- Speaking of Virginia, anyone notice who the GOP is running for Governor? The most right wing candidate they could find. I think the GOP has a learning disability.— wokmaster
- Why is it that programs like medicare and social security for the less fortunate are termed "entitlements" as if they were not contracts with the people made by the government to support our economy and general welfare? Why is it that we support low 15% tax rates for investment income as if it were somehow "special money"? Why is it that government business supports and tax loopholes are not "entitlements"?
We don't need to continue to pour trillions into the highest quartile of our economic population and business community. Over the past decades they have shown quite clearly their intent. They will take the money and run.— wokmaster
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