Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Bill Whalen is on his way to St. Petersburg and will soon lack access to the internet. I am in Prague at a cheap hotel, and I have a better connection than I ordinarily get on the road in the US – which is why I know something that, I suspect, Bill would very much like to know but doesn’t – to wit, that Harry Reid has agreed to substantial spending cuts without tax increases, that Ezra Klein at The Washington Post is reporting that the Republicans have won, and that Barack Obama is, as is utterly predictable, throwing a gigantic hissie fit.
Folks, it rarely gets better. John Boehner is going to go down in history as one of the canniest Speakers of the House in the history of Congress. By dint of sheer persistence and patience, he has won the argument on expenditures and taxes hands down. The polling data is clear. The Democrats are on the run, and the adolescent in the White House is pouting. How sweet it is!
Now if only we could find a Republican presidential nominee capable of fully taking advantage of the disarray into which Barack Obama has plunged his party. Someone should give Paul Ryan another call. There is, as they say, a tide in the affairs of men, and if that admirable Congressman from Wisconsin does not seize the opportunity, that tide is apt to pass him by. More to the point, however, if we do not seize this opportunity and find someone not a managerial progressive who can eloquently make the argument for downsizing federal responsibilities and has the moxie to follow through, that tide is apt to pass us by as well.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
I am still very nervous.
Apr '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
If this is all we can get from Reid, then we will have won a skirmish worthy of Lexington & Concord. We will have left Obama looking foolish and without any ability to lead. Small steps, small steps. If Reid is going along with this, it has to make you belive that alot of the "GOP gets all the blame" polls that we've been seeing are a bunch of bunk, and the Dems know this.
Aug '10
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
You really have a hard time trusting anything that comes out of Reid's mouth ,or the press in general ? What newscast will you watch tonight 4 sum trooth ?
Feb '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
I really think the Republicans won this showdown last Friday when Obama gave his truly remarkable petulant press conference. When Boehner showed he had both more class and was actually the grown up, then it was all over. It also shows how vulnerable Obama will be in any debate with any Republican who can get under his skin.
The argument will be the nature of the cuts, not if cuts are going to occur. While it will not balance the budget, Republicans would be wise to cut all they can from non-entitlement spending before focusing on entitlements. Only then when it becomes apparent that there is not enough there to cut should they think of cutting entitlements and then by increasing the age at which people receive entitlements. Republicans will have a dog-food rather than messaging problem if they try to privatize social security. It isn't for nothing that all previous attempts have not gotten far.
May '10
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
flownover
You really have a hard time trusting anything that comes out of Reid's mouth ,or the press in general ? What newscast will you watch tonight 4 sum trooth ? · Jul 25 at 2:52pm
I haven't watched the news in years. All my info I get online.
Mar '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Perry/Rubio is the obvious ticket, and I love it.
Ryan needs to stay in the House, where he can do the most good.
And as for this deal: considering the poor position that Republicans actually hold, this is a good outcome. I, too, am nervous about there being any significant cuts (why not eliminate Education/Commerce/Energy?), but the BRAC commission approach is not a bad one considering the lack of guts in Washington.
Dec '10
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
The BBA is very much a part of this two-tiered approach (which Obama has already rejected, as if anybody cares). The first tier allows a 6 month expansion of the debt ceiling by $1 T that is to be followed by a $1.1 T spending cut implementation. If the cuts don't happen or they aren't "real" (e.g., accounting gimmicks, "savings", etc.) then the second debt ceiling increase in April doesn't happen. The second debt ceiling rise, in April, is contingent upon an actual vote, in BOTH houses on the BBA.
The White House has already rejected this proposed deal and Bambi has asked for time to bore and lie at 9 pm Eastern. Nobody will care what he has to say and nobody in my home, including Obama voters, will be watching, because nobody cares what he has to say, any longer. Bambi will only be talking to his core constituency at La Raza, Acorn, and SEIU. I can't believe the networks are even giving him air time.
Apr '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
I don't see it. According to Klein, Boehner's debt ceiling increase "would be paired with about $1.2 trillion in cuts to government agencies, including the Pentagon, over the next decade."
Under Obama, the deficit is $1.2T per year. The Demonocrats (h/t Ann Coulter) are giving up one disastrous year of overspending out of ten.
Jun '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Its too early to praise Boehner. He could have had Obama accept the deal last week with 800 billion in supposed revenues.
Boehner is still more about the deal than about the principle.
I like him but the country is not quite there with him.
Edited on July 26, 2011 at 4:05amMay '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Remember, it was Boehner's excellent negotiating skills that gave us the $100 billion budget cut that turned out to be $30 million. It was Boehner that tried to give GE a massive piece of pork (the factory is in his distriict) to build an outdated jet engine the Pentagon didn't even want.
The ONLY reason Boehner has gotten as far as he as in the Debt Ceiling negotiations is because of the Tea Partiers that were elected in November. They have told him in no uncertain terms to fight or be replaced as Speaker.
"iWe: Perry/Rubio is the obvious ticket, and I love it."
First, Perry is very much like Bush. Look at his record. Texas is successful in spite of him.
Second: Why would Rubio want to be VP? For the most part, VPs are like Biden. If Rubio waits 4 yrs. He can run for POTUS. (Or now for that matter.)
May '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Remember, it was Boehner's excellent negotiating skills that gave us the $100 billion budget cut that turned out to be $30 million. It was Boehner that tried to give GE a massive piece of pork (the factory is in his distriict) to build an outdated jet engine the Pentagon didn't even want.
The ONLY reason Boehner has gotten as far as he as in the Debt Ceiling negotiations is because of the Tea Partiers that were elected in November. They have told him in no uncertain terms to fight or be replaced as Speaker.
"iWe: Perry/Rubio is the obvious ticket, and I love it."
First, Perry is very much like Bush. Look at his record. Texas is successful in spite of him.
Second: Why would Rubio want to be VP? For the most part, VPs are like Biden. If Rubio waits 4 yrs. He can run for POTUS. (Or now for that matter.)
Mar '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Boehner deserves our recognition. He's had a very difficult job to do working within his own caucus and holding merely the lower chamber of the Congress. His record of accomplishment since January is notable--overcoming the democrats on the CR deal, putting forward the Ryan budget, fundamentally changing the conversation from the Obama/Reid "there's nothing to see here" position, and now extracting a debt limit deal without tax increases. He has performed admirably and has shown steely resolve and not a little cunning; all in spite of the constant media drumbeat against him. Well done, John.
Sep '10
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Reid and Schumer hold a press conference to introduce a bill that contains substantial cuts and you think the cuts are real. How many bridges have you bought lately? The House Study Committee has thus far prevented Boehner and Ryan from going wobbly, but this won’t last much longer. It appears as if Boehner has appealed to West’s patriotism and West is going to back Boehner’s latest plan. I’m elated that real cuts are being talked about but the House Study Committee deserves most of the credit for the little progress that has been made. The HSC is criticized for their unwillingness to compromise. What people fail to realize is that they did compromise when they voted for the Ryan Budget.
Sep '10
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Pilli:
First, Perry is very much like Bush. Look at his record. Texas is successful in spite of him.
Seems as if you know a phony when you see one. Ryan fits into this category also; His budget is portrayed as reducing government, but continues to add to the debt for the next 10 years. This comprehensive spending plan ignores the pork filled ag. budget. Could he possibly be from a rural district? He helped pass Medicare part D, no child left behind and many other of Bush's excess. To top it off he makes it known that he sleeps in his office because he is frugal, and then is seen in a posh DC restaurant buying a $350 bottle of wine. I could care less how much he pays for his wine, but it might give someone cause to consider that he just might not be who he is pretending to be.
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
liberal jim
Seems as if you know a phony when you see one. Ryan fits into this category also; His budget is portrayed as reducing government, but continues to add to the debt for the next 10 years. This comprehensive spending plan ignores the pork filled ag. budget. Could he possibly be from a rural district? He helped pass Medicare part D, no child left behind and many other of Bush's excess. To top it off he makes it known that he sleeps in his office because he is frugal, and then is seen in a posh DC restaurant buying a $350 bottle of wine. I could care less how much he pays for his wine, but it might give someone cause to consider that he just might not be who he is pretending to be. · Jul 26 at 6:58am
Criticize the Ryan plan if you want to, and perhaps he is some secretly nefarious gangster, but I'd recommend against using the wine story. (And the real reason Ryan sleeps in his office, I think, is because he works until very late at night and is up early in the morning to get back at it.)
Sep '10
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
liberal jim
Criticize the Ryan plan if you want to, and perhaps he is some secretly nefarious gangster, but I'd recommend against using the wine story. (And the real reason Ryan sleeps in his office, I think, is because he works until very late at night and is up early in the morning to get back at it.) · Jul 26 at 7:12am
That is not his story, he said it is because he is frugal when he took a Fox reporter on a tour. What we know about the wine story is that it cost $350. Ryan knew the restaurant he was in, he knew the economic status of the friends he was eating with, he knew house ethics rules required him to pay for the wine, as more than likely did his friends. If you would like to believe he had know idea about how much it cost you may. But if that's the truth he has no business on the budget committee. I don't think he is a nefarious gangster, just another big spending, big government Republican.
May '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
I have seen that picture of Obama that accompanied this conversation used with articles all over the Internet. I think it defines him very well and hopefully is sinking in with the electorate.
May '11
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Double posted because I got a message saying the server failed.
Edited on July 26, 2011 at 7:15pmRe: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Grendel: I don't see it. According to Klein, Boehner's debt ceiling increase "would be paired with about $1.2 trillion in cuts to government agencies, including the Pentagon, over the next decade."
Under Obama, the deficit is $1.2T per year. The Demonocrats (h/t Ann Coulter) are giving up one disastrous year of overspending out of ten. · Jul 25 at 6:22pm
You are, of course, right. But the important thing is that the Democrats have given up the argument. Reid and Pelosi are no longer saying taxes must go up, and that means that expenditures must go down. This looks like a tiny step but it is merely the first of many such steps that the Dems will have to agree to. One must first win the argument. Once one has done that, the rest will follow -- not that the Dems won't kick, scream, and resist.
Re: Obama: Twisting in the Wind
Liberal Jim: I think that you underestimate Boehner. One of the reasons the Tea-Party types got elected in the first place is that Boehner and Ryan got the Republicans already in the House behind the Ryan plan. To see what Boehner is made of, one has to go back ton 2009, The name of the game right now is to win the argument and box the Dems in. Boehner and Ryan are doing just that. Once it is accepted that taxes are not going up, expenditures will have to come down. The bond market will see to that.