A Cornered Animal Is A Dangerous Animal

[cal04]

David Kurtz
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/a_cornered_animal_is_a_dangerous_animal.php?ref=fpblg

Public polling, the NY-26 outcome, and other objective indicators make it clear Republicans have boxed themselves into a political corner with their plan to end Medicare. It's a big problem for them politically, and there's no easy way out, especially since virtually every Republican in Congress is now on the record, with a vote, that they favor gutting Medicare.

So how are they gonna get out of this jam? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) just made it clear in a briefing with reporters on the Hill: They're going to hold the government's debt limit as hostage in order to back their way out of this political tight spot.

How? McConnell just announced he will not support raising the debt ceiling unless big Medicare cuts are part of the deal. Translation: Unless Democrats get us off the hook by agreeing to deep Medicare cuts (meaning Democrats can no longer attack Republicans for wanting to eliminate Medicare), then we're going to force the federal government into default on its debt.

(snip)
It's as stark as that. And the decision for Democrats is equally stark: Do you negotiate with hostage-takers?

[FormerDittoHead]

1. Yes! Let the "master deal makers" do their the thing they do best - CAVE & then make fun of us. n/t

[rpannier]

6. Well he did start the negotiations with his famous phrase

"There's room for compromise."

[BarbaRosa]

2. I wonder if the American worker will ever feel cornered enough

to fight back?

[Citizen Worker]

4. Very doubtful.

[rpannier]

7. No

Because any day now every one of the workers you speak of is going to win the lottery and they don't want the government to touch their hard earned 100,000,000 dollars

[Frustratedlady]

3. Do you negotiate with hostage-takers? No!

The Democrats have the majority of the people on their side in this battle. If you want to see a newly declared activist in action, just threaten to touch Medicare and/or Social Security. Those on or nearly on Medicare will bare their teeth in defiance...and, with good reason.

Boehner, McConnell and Cantor are the worst of the worst. Not one of them knows what they are doing. They remind me of the Keystone Kops. Boehner has got to be the worst Speaker in my lifetime.

Until the tax cuts and oil subsidies are repealed, the Republicans would do well to shut up. At this point, the whole party acts like they have a death wish and just might succeed in ending the party as we know it today. More power to them.

[PurityOfEssence]

5. It's not just tearing down Medicare, it's doing so while giving a huge tax break to the rich

The voucher allowance concept is just as Chris Matthews sneered: giving them a Starbucks Card when we all know that the prices are soaring.

What needs to be repeated endlessly is that this kind of ugly stinginess is being done as part of a package that also gives a tax break to the very rich. It shows the pure selfishness of the moment, and also doesn't pass even a quick analysis of the math at hand.

There is literally NO correlation between tax breaks for the rich and job creation. The very idea that this fallacy isn't combated with every breath mystifies me. At a time of national struggle, with 3 wars and grotesque levels of un- and underemployment, the idea of pulling the rug out from under seniors while giving a GIGANTIC tax break to those who are better off than ever should give the most irrefutable political ammunition to the left.

Where's the sense of involvement in society? Where's the sense of ANY decency?

Still, the Dems are terrified of ever being called out for class warfare, and the reactionaries march on.

[MasonJar]

8. The Democxrats had better not fold on this. Let McConnell and his GOPers

take the blame for defaulting on its debt. The Dems need to immediately rescind the tax breaks for the rich. But they won't because they are owned too.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[Enthusiast]

10. The Democrats cannot under any circumstances

'compromise' with the Republicans. Republicans will be seen as the villains unless the Democrats give them cover. But don't for one moment think this is a done deal. Remember back to the unemployment extensions.

[avebury]

11. K&R