Steven Hayward Nails It
Brother Steven, writing on Powerline, in a post entitled "The GOP's Fiscal Reykjavik":
Most folks who recall the 1980s—or who have read chapter 10 of my book—will know that the climactic moment of Reagan’s Soviet diplomacy was the Reykjavik summit in October 1986, when Gorbachev offered huge concessions to the United States on nuclear weaponry, culminating in the central agreement to abolish all strategic nuclear weapons in 10 years. But there was a catch: Reagan had to give up development of missile defense. Reagan said “Nyet,” and the summit collapsed, amidst gloom and doom and near universal condemnation of Reagan for stubbornly refusing to yield on his silly missile defense idea.
Before long, however, it became clear that Reagan’s “stubbornness” (the history books will—already are—understand it as “statesmanship” rather than stubbornness) was the key to getting the Soviet Union essentially to capitulate on nearly all of Reagan’s terms, and fairly quickly, too.
The budget talks in search of a “grand deal” that apparently under way this weekend look like the fiscal equivalent of Reykjavik: Obama may well offer substantial reform of entitlements a decade down the road, in return for a GOP concession on taxes today.
And, of course, Speaker Boehner should do just what President Reagan did: state simply, "This meeting is over," get up, and walk out.
What would Brothers David Brooks and Michael Murphy have to say to that?
For that matter--I add, inspired by Sisyphus--what would David and Mike (had they already attained their chairs at the New York Times and on "Meet the Press") have said about Reagan's decision at the time?
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Jul '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
What would David Brooks have said?
Sep '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Have you ever heard the boxing maxim: take the body and the head will follow? And then ever seen a boxer taken out with one punch to the liver? The Ruling Class needs a liver shot to turn off the vacuum hoovering money out of the taxpayer wallet.
May '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
The reason President Obama is desperate to get a deal is the same reason Gorbachev was---he holds a losing hand. IF Boehner and company stand firm we taxpayers will begin to get some relief AND we'll see another good group sent to D.C. next year, plus a new President elected. If not we may well see a thied party formed which will mean a swing back to la-la land fiscal policy and further damage to our future economic state as well as our liberty. Stand firm guys, that's what we sent you there to do!
Sep '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
No time go wobbly, boys.
What would Don Draper do?
May '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Peter...from your lips to Boehner's ears...
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Had David Brooks been on the beat at the time of Reyjkavik, he would have written a column denouncing Reagan for missing the chance of a lifetime. The, he would have wrung his hands, and The New York Times would have increased his salary. If you work for Pravda-on-the-Hudson, you must always remember that everything which you think you have attained is, in fact, in the gift of Sulzberger.
Tell me more about Mike Murphy. I know that he makes a profession of running campaigns for RINOs. But that does not necessarily mean that he is himself a squish.
Edited on Jul 9, 2011 at 2:50pmJun '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Boehner is no Reagan.
But it would be nice if he at least tried to be.
Nov '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Didn't George Will play that role at some point?
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Jim Chase: Boehner is no Reagan.
But it would be nice if he at least tried to be. · Jul 9 at 2:49pm
Hey, let's not trash Boehner. Where has he gone wrong to date? There is a serious chance that he will be remembered as a man with unerring judgment. He is the finest Republican Speaker of the House whom I can remember.
Jun '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Paul A. Rahe
Jim Chase: Boehner is no Reagan.
But it would be nice if he at least tried to be. · Jul 9 at 2:49pm
Hey, let's not trash Boehner. Where has he gone wrong to date? There is a serious chance that he will be remembered as a man with unerring judgment. He is the finest Republican Speaker of the House whom I can remember. · Jul 9 at 2:54pm
I don't see that I'm "trashing" Boehner in any way, here, Professor. Granted, the spending cut deal a while back that was trumpeted when in fact there was not so much to meet the eye was a little disillusioning. Maybe the Speaker will prove me wrong, but I fear there are too many willing to cut a deal, rather than walk away from the table on principle.
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Paul A. Rahe
Jim Chase: Boehner is no Reagan.
But it would be nice if he at least tried to be. · Jul 9 at 2:49pm
Hey, let's not trash Boehner. Where has he gone wrong to date? There is a serious chance that he will be remembered as a man with unerring judgment. He is the finest Republican Speaker of the House whom I can remember. · Jul 9 at 2:54pm
I'm with Paul. The pressures on Boehner are intense. So far I myself can't see that he has made a single mistake. Not one. In control of only one chamber of Congress, he has set the national agenda for a good six months now, wringing one concession after another out of the administration, all while remaining calm, humorous, and self-effacing--and all while permitting his own members, including Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor, and Allen West, to shine. A study in political skill--and in character.
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Paul A. Rahe: Tell me more about Mike Murphy.· Jul 9 at 2:49pm
Edited on Jul 09 at 02:50 pm
Mike's a wonderful guy--brilliant, funny, warm and in possession of one of the most acute and best-informed political minds I've encountered. He loves to tweak us here at Ricochet, reminding us that conservatives alone can't carry a Republican candidate over the finish line. As far as I know, though, Mike would be as happy as would you or I, Paul, to sign onto Bill Buckley's old dictum that in any race he would support "the rightward-most viable candidate." It's just that Mike would give us a tough time about the "viable" part of the dictum. I've never had an argument with Mike, though, in which I didn't learn a lot worth knowing.
Edited on Jul 9, 2011 at 3:19pmJun '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Peter Robinson
Paul A. Rahe
Hey, let's not trash Boehner. Where has he gone wrong to date?
I'm with Paul. The pressures on Boehner are intense. So far I myself can't see that he has made a single mistake. Not one. In control of only one chamber of Congress, he has set the national agenda for a good six months now, wringing one concession after another out of the administration, all while remaining calm, humorous, and self-effacing--and all while permitting his own members, including Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor, and Allen West, to shine. A study in political skill--and in character. · Jul 9 at 3:12pm
I still believe you and the professor are reading more into my comment than is there. I did not dump on Boehner's performance as Speaker. Would I like to see him pull a Reagan at Reykjavik? Sure I would. But the Speaker's job is typically to cut the best deal he can, and then hold his caucus in line. This he has done. This I think he will do again. Boehner's moment may be at hand. We'll see what he does with it.
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Jim Chase
· Jul 9 at 3:12pm
I still believe you and the professor are reading more into my comment than is there. I did not dump on Boehner's performance as Speaker. Would I like to see him pull a Reagan at Reykjavik? Sure I would. But the Speaker's job is typically to cut the best deal he can, and then hold his caucus in line. This he has done. This I think he will do again. Boehner's moment may be at hand. We'll see what he does with it. · Jul 9 at 4:43pm
Fair enough--and well stated. Thanks, Jim.
Jan '11
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
The Reagan analogy could not be more apt. I believe that Reagan walking away from that summit was one of the most courageous acts by a president in my 47 years. I was thinking about the value of baseball as I watched my son's team get trounced in the first round of little leage play today. Every pitch is an oppourtunity, some you should act upon - some you should decline. Walk away from this 'deal' - it stinks.
Apr '11
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Boehner tells Obama ‘no’ on big debt deal
By Dave Boyer
The Washington Times 10:05 p.m., Saturday, July 9, 201
Speaker John A. Boehner told President Obama Saturday night he will not agree to the president’s most ambitious plan for deficit reduction, citing the administration’s pursuit of tax increases as one of the main hurdles.
“The White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes,” the Ohio Republican said in a statement released Saturday night. “I believe the best approach may be to focus on producing a smaller measure, based on the cuts identified in the Biden-led negotiations, that still meets our call for spending reforms and cuts greater than the amount of any debt limit increase.”
Jul '11
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
I found the analogy to the summit profound. Now Mr Boehner has boxed Mr Obama in to no new taxes and bi-partisan cuts with credit to the lead Democrat negotiator, none other than Mr Biden. The ramifications if this is accepted may well be tantamount to giving the president a boost in his re-election bid yet postponing the serious entitlement issues of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security to a future Congress and Senate far more to Mr Boehner's liking. Should the speaker, in spite of this great opportunity, walk away down the rocky path to his own Reaganesque moment and force meaningful bi-partisan spending and revenue reform to be discussed in seriousness outside of debt commission hearings. I recall Mr Reagan, in a serious discourse about the sacrifices needed to correct the economy saying," If not now, when?"
Oct '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
I think both leaderships need to see this through to the very last minute for credibility reasons, and to salvage their 2012 narratives. I expect we'll get significant spending reductions (some in 2012, and a lot more in 2013) and some kind of tax reform.
I kindof doubt we'll get revenue increases, since it's likely Obama and Boehner will cut employer payroll taxes. We will need some revenue increases eventually, and the advantages of doing them now is we can a) limit them, and b) avoid levying new taxes (like VATs) and stick with cutting out deductions and credits.
Any revenue increases should be accompanied by a hard spending cap, something that's enforceable. That way we're guaranteed to get the 3-to-1 ratio.
Jun '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
Murphy and Brooks on Reagan at Reykjavik at the time? It's too obvious. Brooks is a knee-jerk type so it's really not even a question: he would go along with the herd.
Murphy? Very interesting guy. Is he a RINO? I don't think so. He has a fine tactical mind much like Dick Morris (and Karl Rove, come to that) and he thinks that automatically means he should be involved in the bigger decisions. It's so interesting to watch Murphy and Rove break rules about self-discipline when it's to promote themselves. They don't seem to realize that they have broken one of a tactician's cardinal rules about winning. As George Will says: "Politics is about addition not subtraction." The Tea Party should be wooed not condemned -- and if he wants to go after them (ostensibly for good electoral reasons) then surely there are better ways. Murphy: what would you advise a client of yours to do in these cases? Murphy has a nasty nascent narcissism problem. For his own soul's sake it's probably good that Meg Whitman's campaign was such a debacle.
Jun '10
Re: Steven Hayward Nails It
More and more, as time justifies Reagan's clear-sightedness, I think of him as a master. First, he mastered himself, then he mastered the issues, then he mastered each level of the political stage. When he became president, he then became the master manipulator. I love the story that Dinesh D'Souza uncovers in his book, Ronald Reagan: How An Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader, that the only source of the stories about Reagan sleeping in cabinet meetings was... Reagan himself.
Then, while he was busy saving America domestically, he dallied with the Soviet Union, predicted its collapse, and utterly undermined every intellectual and economic prop it relied on. Thank God for Ronald Reagan.