Underestimating what the House GOP is capable of

[babylonsister]

Posted with permission.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_07/underestimating_what_the_house030929.php



Underestimating what the House GOP is capable of

By Steve Benen


In his NYT column today, Ross Douthat sketches out how congressional Republicans expected the debt-ceiling fight to go. Phase One involved setting the terms of the debate in their favor, tying massive spending cuts to a step that has always been considered routine housekeeping. This, obviously, has gone exceedingly well for the GOP.

Phase Two was the endgame, which included public relations, forcing Dems to give Republicans everything they want, and making the other side appear unreasonable. The GOP not only failed to think this part through, they’ve actually managed to screw it up so badly, Republicans are the ones losing the public and looking unreasonable.

Douthat expected a better outcome.

For Republicans, this would have required one of two maneuvers: either modestly scaling back the size of the spending cuts they were seeking, or finding a few places in the tax code (the ethanol tax credit? the carried-interest loophole? those corporate jets the president keeps talking about?) where they could live with raising revenue by eliminating a tax break or capping a deduction.

For months, I had assumed that the Republican leadership would be able to find support within its caucus for option No. 2. Based on John Boehner’s brief flirtation with a “grand bargain” that would have included tax reform, the speaker of the House thought so as well.

But based on how quickly he abandoned that flirtation, it appears we were both mistaken.

I feel like this comes up quite a bit. Observers who tend to watch political developments very closely assume Republican tactics include a fair amount of posturing, and that GOP officials don’t really believe their own rhetoric. ‘These guys are right-wing and inflexible,” the argument goes, “but they’re not that right-wing and inflexible.”

But they are. Most of the Republicans on Capitol Hill aren’t posturing; they’re just genuinely crazy. It’s time for the political world to adjust its expectations accordingly.

Paul Krugman noted the other day how amusing it is to see so many observers “suddenly waking up and smelling the crazy.”

{T}his isn’t something that just happened, it’s the culmination of a process that has been going on for decades. Anyone surprised by the extremism and irresponsibility now on display either hasn’t been paying attention, or has been deliberately turning a blind eye.

And may I say to those suddenly agonizing over the mental health of one of our two major parties: People like you bear some responsibility for that party’s current state…. {T}here has been no pressure on the G.O.P. to show any kind of responsibility, or even rationality — and sure enough, it has gone off the deep end. If you’re surprised, that means that you were part of the problem.

[Richardo]

1. "If you’re surprised, that means that you were part of the problem."

Enthusiastic K&R :kick:

[jwirr]

5. That is what I understood Krugman to say and he was talking specifically

to the MSM. We have been trying to get the MSM to listen forever.

[msongs]

2. why give up when you've got an easy mark who can't seem to say no nt

[FrenchieCat]

4. There are those so obsessed with criticizing only one man......

they never seem to have the energy to actually call out and attack the GOP crazies....
cause that would be too much work. They are part of the problem as well,
as they are allowing the crazies run free to do as they please unchecked, while they continue
to pillor the only sane one in the room!

[pscot]

9. I wish the President would take your advice

and respond a little more aggressively to the crazies. He doesn't help his cause by treating them as if they were sane.

[gordianot]

3. They are if nothing else genuine in their delusion. It can happen.

[boxman15]

6. I feel bad for any reasonable conservatives left out there.

Certainly, I disagree with them, but any rational and reasonable conservatives left out there must be shaking their heads right now. I thought the GOP went off the deep-end during the Bush presidency, but it's only gotten a thousand times worse.

These people in the House would rather have the country go into default and suffer the horrific consequences only so the richest among us don't have to pay a little extra in taxes. And they're not bluffing. It's troubling that they feel this way.

And it's even more troubling that some side with the GOP out in the "real world." And it's also disturbing that the MSM refuses to call out the GOP for their games and hostage-taking. The GOP would not be in the position it is today if the media did its job and informed the people.

[Bake]

7. I think "reasonable conservatives" are an endangered species.

They used to exist, I think. I saw pictures of them in a book long ago, like the dodo bird. But they're rare today.

Bake

[creeksneakers2]

8. The leaders aren't crazy, they are conscienceless manipulators

The GOP is going to try gimmicks today to get out of ever specifying just what they want cut and how. Their members refuse to take the risk of voting for entitlement cuts, while the base is demanding them. Boehner has been bluffing the whole time because he doesn't have the votes to pass anything at all.

The whole GOP strategy is to get Obama to sign off on cuts first, so the GOP can respond to any heat by saying Obama wanted the same cuts.

Obama should demand that the GOP pass any cuts they want immediately so the legislative process can start. Then, when the GOP doesn't have the votes, ask them how they expect Democrats to vote for things even the GOP won't vote for. The need for compromise would be obvious then.