How Does The GOP Win If There's A Government Shutdown?
David Frum's analysis of the Republican government shutdown dilemma seems about right to me. If you think the GOP is on the right track, can you explain why Frum is wrong? How can the Republicans win this one?
They can win if the president wants or allows them to. Sound far fetched? How about this: what we're seeing is fake, meaning staged. The whole shootin' match. Obstructionism, endless "policy cliffs", fractured republican party- all of it- theater. The purpose of this-along with the near certainty of a shutdown- is to create an atmosphere of fear and confusion in the public which is then hoodwinked into passively accepting cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Play up the shutdown and how bad it will be, play up the debt ceiling and what the consequences of default would be- ratchett up that fear.
Consider what has happened with Obama's "grand bargain". His plan, which he talked about a great many times, was essentially that each side would give up its "first born", "entitlements" cuts on one side, revenue on the other. In a "balanced approach" to deal with the deficit- or was it really to deal with the deficit?
We know that Obama has always wanted to reform (cut) Social Security. But ONLY with cover. We also know that republicans have said for quite awhile now that there would be no additional revenue. So the president must somehow fenagle Social Security cuts, possibly exchanging the "damaging" sequester cuts with entitlement cuts. Or under cover of the CR or debt ceiling fights.
The bottom line is: both Democrats and Republicans, along with Obama- want to cut Social Security and Medicare. And each side seeks to accomplish that while maneuvering into a position where the other side takes the blame and pays for it in 2014 and 2016.
Obama and his grand bargain are frauds. There never was any intent to achieve anything more than token tax increases. Just enough to make it look good. Obama conceded an estimated two-thirds of revenue on the Bush Era tax expiration deal when the $250K figure became $400K.
Then again, maybe I'm thinking too hard about this stuff.
If both sides want to cut social security what do they expect to do with the elderly or better yet mentally ill people on ssi? This might be a dumb question however my boyfriend and 2 roommates all suffer from mental illnesses. One is elderly and mentally ill another is in no way able to care for himself or work he fights with voices in his head all day my boyfriend has psychotic relapses with schizophrenia. They would be homeless running our streets without ssi to pay their rent n stuff.....I'm sure alot more ssi reciepiants have even worse issues and could cause a danger to our lives if made homeless
I didn't mean to cause anyone any worry by my post and I empathize with your situation. What I posted is just an opinion and will probably end up being wrong. But I've always feared Obama would find a way to cut Social Security, probably Chained CPI which just means stingier COLA's. And that would have to pass Congress and so it may not occur.
It is the democrats who do not want to negotiate. It is the democrats who want to shut down government. It is Obama who is leading the government shut down.
Do a chained CPI, increase employs SSI tax by 1%, going into a fund that he or she controls, and the employer puts in 1%. And take away the max that a person puts in every year. Problem solved.
The GOP is only trying to fix the problem created by Democrats. Like this Obamacare. Were GOP involved in the birth of this monster? Who was it that snuck this piece of policy s**t without any Republican vote or any American vote? hmmmmm... Democrats cannot point fingers at anyone for the shutdown or the degradation of America than themselves.
They can win if the president wants or allows them to. Sound far fetched? How about this: what we're seeing is fake, meaning staged. The whole shootin' match. Obstructionism, endless "policy cliffs", fractured republican party- all of it- theater.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of this-along with the near certainty of a shutdown- is to create an atmosphere of fear and confusion in the public which is then hoodwinked into passively accepting cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Play up the shutdown and how bad it will be, play up the debt ceiling and what the consequences of default would be- ratchett up that fear.
Consider what has happened with Obama's "grand bargain". His plan, which he talked about a great many times, was essentially that each side would give up its "first born", "entitlements" cuts on one side, revenue on the other. In a "balanced approach" to deal with the deficit- or was it really to deal with the deficit?
We know that Obama has always wanted to reform (cut) Social Security.
But ONLY with cover. We also know that republicans have said for quite awhile now that there would be no additional revenue. So the president must somehow fenagle Social Security cuts, possibly exchanging the "damaging" sequester cuts with entitlement cuts. Or under cover of the CR or debt ceiling fights.
The bottom line is: both Democrats and Republicans, along with Obama- want to cut Social Security and Medicare. And each side seeks to accomplish that while maneuvering into a position where the other side takes the blame and pays for it in 2014 and 2016.
Obama and his grand bargain are frauds. There never was any intent to achieve anything more than token tax increases. Just enough to make it look good. Obama conceded an estimated two-thirds of revenue on the Bush Era tax expiration deal when the $250K figure became $400K.
Then again, maybe I'm thinking too hard about this stuff.
If both sides want to cut social security what do they expect to do with the elderly or better yet mentally ill people on ssi? This might be a dumb question however my boyfriend and 2 roommates all suffer from mental illnesses. One is elderly and mentally ill another is in no way able to care for himself or work he fights with voices in his head all day my boyfriend has psychotic relapses with schizophrenia. They would be homeless running our streets without ssi to pay their rent n stuff.....I'm sure alot more ssi reciepiants have even worse issues and could cause a danger to our lives if made homeless
DeleteI didn't mean to cause anyone any worry by my post and I empathize with your situation.
DeleteWhat I posted is just an opinion and will probably end up being wrong. But I've always feared Obama would find a way to cut Social Security, probably Chained CPI which just means stingier COLA's. And that would have to pass Congress and so it may not occur.
It is the democrats who do not want to negotiate. It is the democrats who want to shut down government. It is Obama who is leading the government shut down.
ReplyDeleteThe growing poor will not like republicans if debt ceiling not raised.
ReplyDeleteDo a chained CPI, increase employs SSI tax by 1%, going into a fund that he or she controls, and the employer puts in 1%. And take away the max that a person puts in every year. Problem solved.
ReplyDeleteThe GOP is only trying to fix the problem created by Democrats. Like this Obamacare. Were GOP involved in the birth of this monster? Who was it that snuck this piece of policy s**t without any Republican vote or any American vote? hmmmmm... Democrats cannot point fingers at anyone for the shutdown or the degradation of America than themselves.
ReplyDelete