Last night I wrote about how Obama ain't playin' when it comes to expecting Republicans to honor the terms of the debt ceiling deal. He promised to veto appropriations bills that didn't adhere to what they agreed to for next year's budget - which would shut down the government in September.
Knowing that the House has already approved Rep. Paul Ryan's budget - which basically trashed what everyone had agreed to last summer in the debt ceiling deal - its time now to hear from Senate Minority Leader McConnell.
At a Thursday hearing to set federal funding levels for next year, 11 of 13 GOP appropriators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted to support capping annual spending at the level the parties agreed to during last summer’s fight over raising the debt limit. House Republicans, by contrast, were forced by their conservative members to lower that cap, in violation of the agreement, and on Wednesday prompted an early veto threat from the White House. The contretemps could easily lead to a government shutdown fight one month before the election — one Senate Republicans would apparently prefer to avoid.
Boehner's response:
Just kidding...sort of.
The only thing we have yet to learn is what Mitt Romney's position will be. From BooMan:
Mitt Romney is going to have to make a choice. Is the president right that the Republicans made a deal and should keep it? Does he want to defend a government shutdown in September that is a direct result of broken promises? After all, he can set the size of government next year if he's elected. There's no need to have this battle 60 days before the people vote.
If Romney sides with the president, he will sell out the conservatives who have banded together to force John Boehner to go back on the budget deal. And, since Boehner is pretending that he's doing exactly what he wants to do, Romney would be selling out the Speaker, too.
If, on the other hand, Romney sticks with the Republican position, he'll be pushed far out on a limb.
From practically the day that debt ceiling deal was signed I've been saying that it would loom large in this presidential race. But to be honest - I never thought it would get THIS good. So its bringing out the worst in me...the desire to say "I told you so" to all those idiot poutragers who assumed that President Obama got taken to the cleaners. Whaddyathink now?
I think you rock, Smartypants. Never doubted you for a moment. You're the new Al Giordano as far as I'm concerned.
ReplyDeleteI don't think its just humility that would lead me to question that. I merely sit at the feet of Al Giodano and learn. Seriously!
DeleteStill...thanks. Its a wonderful compliment.
This also supports my contention that PBO is running against Congress as much as he is against Romney. Possibly even more because his campaign can handle Romney while he personally makes the Republican Congress look like the mean-spirited, deal-breaking extremists that they are.
ReplyDeleteI hope he is running against Congress, because he will need a more Democratic Congress if he is to accomplish anything next year. If he wins re-election you can expect the GOP Congress to be even more intransigent then they were this past year.
DeleteI thought of your comment about that on an earlier post today when I read the piece about McConnell. I suspect this fight is just starting to build. But it very well could lead to shaping things more in the direction of Obama vs Republican Congress.
DeleteSP
ReplyDeleteI remember so well how you asked for cool heads when PBO did the Budget Deal. Your rationale was so wonderful that it helped me explain it to others. I absolutely knew he had hog-tied "them varmits"! Mr."I got 98% of what I wanted" Boehner is really crying now. His team aint with him, Cantor will knife him in the back.
I just loved the message from the WH in advance, there is a veto waiting for it if you send it up here.
Lets just smile, be patient and watch our president do a job on these boys. They are so arrogant, they deserve what they have coming. He plays a long game!
Smilingl8dy
I hope the long game works out. I know there are ways the Republicans can play this (although not by telling the truth) and boatloads of Americans will believe everything they say. It's hard to have an honest debate with prevaricators.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing these fools stuck between their homes(a rock) and where they constantly try to put the American people ((a hard place). Big ups to our President for doing this. Masterful if you ask me.
ReplyDelete