Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Traveling for a few days last week, I came home this past weekend and promptly took to bed, sick with some sort of flu. (I didn't get nearly as sick as Rob Long got, but I'll let Rob tell you that story himself.) Anyway, what with one thing and another I've been away from the news and Ricochet. Rising just now from what felt like my deathbed, I spent a few moments skimming my favorite websites--and found my friend John Podhoretz predicting that last week's budget deal might be about to fall apart.
The Budget Deal May Collapse
The big news today is that the $38.5 billion in budget cuts announced with such fanfare on Friday night mostly aren’t real. A good deal of it involves money from previous years and previous budgets that hasn’t actually been spent. As the AP puts it, the budget deal is
"financed with a lot of one-time savings and cuts that officially ‘score’ as savings to pay for spending elsewhere, but that often have little to no actual impact on the deficit…cuts to earmarks, unspent census money, leftover federal construction funding, and $2.5 billion from the most recent renewal of highway programs that can’t be spent because of restrictions set by other legislation. Another $3.5 billion comes from unused spending authority from a program providing health care to children of lower-income families."
The total amount actually cut appears to be somewhere between $8 and $14.7 billion.
The politics here are very complicated now. On the one hand, polls suggest the public is overwhelmingly in favor of there having been a deal, around 60 percent or so. On the other, politically engaged people on both the Right and the Left are profoundly upset by what they take to be unprincipled caving on the part of the leaders of the two parties.
As I say, I've been following the news over the last five or six days only cursorily, but I'd had the feeling the budget deal represented a very nice victory for the Good Guys. Boehner negotiated aggressively, taking it right down to the wire, and walked away with more than half of what he and the House GOP wanted while forcing Harry Reid and the White House to play defense.
Now I'm not so sure.
David, I know you'll have given this a lot of thought. Where do matters stand? Did Boehner triumph--or get snookered?
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May '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Needless to say, Mark Levin is quite clear about this and waxing rhapsodic even now referring to Chamberlain-Republicans. I have to say, he's darn persuasive. His advice to the leadership is to stop being so afraid. His biggest criticism is not the size of the actual cuts but the fact that Boehner (as he sees it) lied about the achievement. It's not the giving up as much as the cynical accepting of all the tricks used by Obama to trumpet the cuts as if no one would notice. it would seem to suggest that he still doesn't get it. It really seems at the end of the day the Democrats gave up nothing they really cared about... and neither did Boehner.
May '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
The deal is a sham. There's almost no savings. This deal needs to be sunk. BATTLE STATIONS.
Mar '11
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
But doesn't this mean that they saved their energy for the Big Fight? I have so much more confidence in Republican leadership than I did a few days ago. Such wisdom. Such courage to endure the slings and arrows of the Tea Party by getting rolled on the little 39 billion thingy, because the leadership knows that the real battle lay ahead with the Ryan Plan.
You just wait, the Republicans are getting ready to show some real moxy!
Mar '11
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Peter,
Gladdened to hear that you have survived your near-death weekend sickness experience.
With regard to the specifics of the cuts from the CR, I think this AP story summarizes some of the gimmicks involved.
However, I think that some perspective is in order here. If the Democrats had done their job, the 2011 budget would have been passed before or during the lame duck session and Republicans in Congress would have had even fewer opportunities to offer any cuts of any kind this year.
Yes, $38 billion is not really $38 billion in true cuts. No, this CR deal is not going to save the Republic. Yes, we should support the cuts because it is an improvement over the baseline spending we would otherwise have had. No, we should not get cocky that the American voters truly understand the kind of reform necessary to right our fiscal ship. Yes, we should steel our resolve for the coming budget battle.
May '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Crow's Nest: Peter,
Yes, $38 billion is not really $38 billion in true cuts. No, this CR deal is not going to save the Republic. Yes, we should support the cuts because it is an improvement over the baseline spending we would otherwise have had. No, we should not get cocky that the American voters truly understand the kind of reform necessary to right our fiscal ship. Yes, we should steel our resolve for the coming budget battle. · Apr 12 at 5:11pm
But what about the fact that Boehner resorted to these lame budget tricks to crow about $38.5B while giving up all the riders that the Dems wanted? We started at $100... should we really be satisfied with $11? More importantly, should we really believe that they have the stomach necessary to even begin to engage in the coming battle? How is this not just another cave?
Dec '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
We are so screwed.
US lacks credibility on debt, says IMF -- Financial Times
Obama prepares to revive tax cut debate -- for now and 2012 -- USA Today
The liberals' plan: Gut defense and tax, tax, tax -- Byron York, Washington Examiner
I said it on another thread... it isn't what we think about the country's financial condition or plans to fix it that matters -- it's what the Chinese and other creditors think. The adolescents in control of the country right now have no intention of giving up the credit card we gave them in 2008. They are congenitally un-serious on economics, which makes past polls showing Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans on economic policy just mind-blowing. Hello? America?? Ever noticed how Democrats treat capital like it can't be created and therefore must be redistributed... and like it grows on trees... simultaneously??!
May '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Wait. Not only did the Leadership lie about the real savings (or not know it was real savings--is that really better?), but this is the practice scrimmage for the battles ahead on the 2012 budget, the debt ceiling and Obamacare? I can't think of anything to say that doesn't violate the language Ricochet language guidelines.
May '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
They need to sink the deal. They won't but they should. We gave up the riders and they lied about the cuts.
Is there not one, not one person on Capitol Hill that can be trusted?
Aug '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
once again .... will the republicans raise their hands ? who is driving the train over here on the right track?
Aug '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
OK, I haven't looked at the numbers (as being reported today, this is new) - aside from an abortive attempt to start a new conversation talking about the $$$s AND other considerations reported as part of the budget deal.
The other considerations matter - saving 2.7% of the current deficit or, as it appears on your calculator, 0.027 (I assumed a 1.4T deficit this year and savings of 38B) doesn't.
Here they are:
1. A floor vote on Obamacare in the Senate. There are 33 Senate seats up for grabs in 2012. 23 of them are currently held by Democrats. 3 Dems are retiring from states that may turn those seats red, leaving 20 having to vote for Obamacare again. If the Rs roll 4 Obamacare is repealed, if not positions are clarified for 2012. (R Win) +500B from repealing O-Care
2. Floor vote on Planned Parenthood in the Senate.Same split as above - this one puts less seats in jeopardy, but clarifies positions. (Rob likes clarity) (R Win)
3. Removes items that prevents frank discussion on the KEY ISSUES - Entitlement Reform. The Ryan plan is not getting play-until the decks are cleared.
Edited on Apr 12, 2011 at 5:43pmOct '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
The Republican leadership lied to the American people (just like the Democrats). The cuts are really only about $15 billion. They have demonstrated no serious resolve, nor do they have the stomach for the upcoming fights.
I am hoping for a revolt in the House of Representatives in order to shock Boehner into line. The Tea Party caucus needs to vote this down, and shut down the government.
Jul '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
I've never believed that Boehner had the vision, principles, guts or wits to do the job that must be done. This cynical little deal confirms that view.
Aug '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
deleted double post
Edited on Apr 12, 2011 at 5:40pmMay '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Wait, so it's ok to lie about the numbers to get illusory "wins" like a vote on Obamacare? Just how is that valuable anyway? The Senate isn't going to overturn Obamacare in such a vote; it's a symbolic substance-less initiative.
The House leadership was supposed to be showing why they shouldn't be on probation. This is what they do? This is disgusting and deceitful. Or, it shows a level of incompetence that is unacceptable. This deal must go down, and the leadership needs to be punished.
Oct '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Actually... no.
Jul '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Trace Urdan
But what about the fact that Boehner resorted to these lame budget tricks to crow about $38.5B while giving up all the riders that the Dems wanted? We started at $100... should we really be satisfied with $11? More importantly, should we really believe that they have the stomach necessary to even begin to engage in the coming battle? How is this not just another cave?
The more I read, the more obvious it becomes that this was an exceptionally cheap round of let's don't and say we did, by both sides. I also notice that, despite a large number of tax day Tea Party demonstrations across the country this year, I do not see one scheduled for DC. If that holds up, that is a hideous omission at the wrong time. Perhaps the kerfuffle with Glen Beck leaving Fox was a factor, I don't know.
Dec '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Between this news and listening to Pat Caddell I am just so angry.
http://www.google.com/search?q=rage+guy&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
I don't know who I am more upset with. The republican leadership, or myself for trusting them....again.
Jul '10
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
Peter, I was just catching up on a podcast from March 3, where you reported that the mood among conservatives in D.C. was "ebullient".
I wonder what that mood is today?
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
I have to say, Peter, that I was trying my best to put on my game face -- the glass half full one -- and conclude that though the GOP lost, so did the Democrats because they didn't want to cut at all and they supposedly agreed to cut $38.5. As I argued in my column today, I took that as some evidence that Democrats knew, just as I had argued on this site, that today was not the same as 1995-1996 and the public was big time in favor of these cuts. Thus, I reasoned, it should give us great confidence going into the negotiations over the Big Kahuna.
In other words, I wanted to look forward because it wouldn't serve American interests to cry over spilled milk. As I said from the beginning of these debates, it was never about whether I would take my ball and go home, but whether grassroots conservatives/Tea Partyers would. I argued they probably would be very upset if the GOP caved. I also argued that the MSM would crucify the GOP no matter what it did, so there wasn't that much risk in a cave anyway. More...
Re: Calling David Limbaugh, Or, Are We For This Thang or Agin' It?
I think subsequent events point toward vindicating me on both points, i.e., 1) rumblings from the Tea Party were very negative even before reports surfaced that Boehner might have sold us out, and 2) the MSM is spinning this as an Obama victory already. But again, that’s old news, in a sense. Now we have read these reports about the meaninglessness of the cuts and the cynicism which the GOP leadership apparently approached this.
The press is reporting that "Budget tricks helped Obama save programs from cuts" -- from an AP story . We even learn that the budget deal might be unraveling -- see this Business Insider story.
I've been ambivalent about Boehner recently. I wanted to believe he was a true blue conservative, but increasingly he's showing himself to be a beltway wheeler dealer exhibiting arrogance and disdain for the grassroots. I read, after the "deal," by the way that his relationship with Obama was said to be improved after this deal. That sickens me. Why, you ask? Because Obama is not on the side of America's future on the debt issue, among others, and I view this as a war for national survival. More ...