Plan B fiasco leaves GOP lost, divided, and weak

[ProSense]

Plan B fiasco leaves GOP lost, divided, and weak

By Steve Benen

The irony of last night's drama on Capitol Hill was that the proposal at stake had far more symbolic value than substantive. House Speaker John Boehner, after having abandoned his own fiscal talks, pushed his "Plan B" knowing full well it would not, and could not, become law. Rather, Boehner hoped to use the measure to send a message.

Oh, he sent a message, all right. It's just not the one the Speaker intended.

At least in theory, there was a coherent strategy underlying Boehner's efforts. He would pass his pointless charade, demand Democrats do as he instructs, and cover his backside when the larger process fell apart. All the Speaker needed was his own allies to follow his lead, and give him some additional leverage.

To that end, Boehner tried everything. He tried pleading with his Republican allies, threatening them, and offering them all kinds of goodies. The Speaker made appeals based on emotion, economics, loyalty, and pragmatism, at times, simultaneously.

But in the end, despite all the bravado and faux confidence, Boehner just couldn't deliver. The party he ostensibly leads heard his impassioned pleas, and decided not to follow him.

Debacles of this magnitude are rare.

- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/12/21/16065562-plan-b-fiasco-leaves-gop-lost-divided-and-weak

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[uponit7771]

2. Obama has 4 under arms www.ImGonnaMake$hitUp.com said Obama caved

[The Blue Flower]

3. Best Christmas gift ever

The nation thanks you, Boehner.

[wiggs]

4. Despite other celebratory threads, we ARE all fucked. We have a

dysfunctional government that can't get anything done. Public discourse is anything but rational and reasoned.

We can't appropriately address climate change, fracking, health care, tax rates, gun control, stimulus policy, Israel, energy policy, immigration, etc in ways that identify the problem and implement solutions. This lack of capability is what caused our bond rating to diminish.

I'm glad that Obama can negotiate and glad that the gop didn't get what they want. But that means we still haven't solved anything. Exactly how do we come to resolution on issues where each side is immovable?

I lay this all at the feet of the GOP...but it seems we're stuck with them as dance partners.

[Scurrilous]

5. K & R

[LiberalAndProud]

6. Not to be overly bleeding heart, I feel sorry for Boehner.

It's like trying to herd a pack of hyenas, but worse. Even hyenas have a sense of community. The Yahoos(R) in office now have no sense at all.

[ProSense]

7. He encouraged the lunatics. n/t