Why Democrats Are So Confident Of A Sequestration Victory

[onehandle]

If it appears to you that Democrats are approaching the Friday sequestration deadline with greater poise than the GOP, you’re not mistaken.

Democrats enjoy a massive public relations advantage over the GOP. Voters are prepared to blame Republicans. The Democrats have an unusually steady message. Republicans are lurching from message to message as they try futilely to blame Obama for sequestration’s very existence, while contending that its consequences won’t be so dire (except when they contend it will hollow out the military) and to argue just as futilely that Obama’s revenue demand is an act of duplicity.

But Democrats are also confident because they have an institutional memory of winning a similar fight, when Republicans shut down the government in 1995.

“Before the government shutdown it was very much an open question in most people’s minds which party would win,” recalled Paul Begala, a Clinton White House veteran, and an insider at the time of the shutdown, in a telephone interview Friday. “Republicans were very confident at the time that the government would shutdown and people’s lives wouldn’t change. They were wrong. … [W]e all saw that theory proved in ‘95 and ‘96 and it’s going to happen again.”

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/02/why-democrats-are-so-confident-of-a-sequestration-victory.php

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I too am confident that we Democrats will prevail.

However, I am concerned about the folks who will be harmed by this, if it happens.

The Republicans WILL get the blame.

[freshwest]

3. Any sign the GOP is getting any blame TV (I don't watch)? I imagine it's crickets...

This is their fault, they OWN this.

218 Republicans versus ZERO Democrats voted for the Sequester. But Boehner had the never to say on teevee that it's 'Obama's Sequester.'

Let me know if there is an light coming from that quarter of benighted propaganda outlets. I turned off cable years ago because of RW liars.

[madville]

6. Are we thinking of the same thing

95 Democrats voted YEA in the House and 45 Senators voted YEA in the Senate and the President signed it into law. They may have been against it happening though.

I think the Democratic leaders believed they were going to get the House back in 2012 and then clean all these messes up, of course that didn't happen.

[Enrique]

2. the Democrats will come off as failing less than the GOP

no winners here.

[Blue4Texas]

4. Thank you posting

The historical context of a similar event helps me keep the event in perspective .

[Bandit]

5. Because of Gerry-Mandering it really doesn't matter to them if they are blamed

They will maintain the Majority in the House until after the 2020 Census and new Districts are drawn up....That may be too late to salvage much....