Extortion politics: a new form of governing

[ProSense]

Extortion politics: a new form of governing

By Steve Benen

Josh Marshall made an interesting point in passing yesterday, asking whether conservative Republicans could achieve massive spending cuts through “old-fashioned majority votes.” Josh answered his own question: “Of course not.” The cuts on the table were only made possible by Republicans “threatening the health” of the United States.

I think this arguably one of the more important realizations to take away from the current political landscape. Republicans aren’t just radicalized, aren’t just pursuing an extreme agenda, and aren’t just allergic to compromise. The congressional GOP is also changing the very nature of governing in ways with no modern precedent.

Welcome to the normalization of extortion politics.

Consider, for example, the Republican decision to reject any and all nominees to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, regardless of merit, unless and until Democrats accepted changes to the agency’s structure. Traditionally, if the GOP wanted to alter the powers of the CFPB, it would write legislation, send it committee, bring it to the floor, send it to the other chamber, etc. But that takes time and effort, and in a divided government, this “old fashioned” approach to policymaking probably wouldn’t produce the desired result.

Instead, we see the latest in a series of extortion strategies: Republicans will force Democrats to accept changes to the agency, or Republicans won’t allow the agency to function. Jonathan Cohn wrote a good piece on this a couple of weeks ago, noting the frequency with which this strategy is utilized.

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[Warren Stupidity]

1. Your pal in the white house is aiding and abetting this.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. To answer your question: by accepting their framing, by

endlessly attempting to appease them as the 'Grand Conciliator', by refusing to use his access to the media to directly attack their tactics, Obama is aiding and abetting their hostage taking strategy.

[tridim]

10. The Republicans and the Teafuckers are Constitutionally protected TERRORISTS.

Don't you understand that yet?

[Warren Stupidity]

14. So why does Obama treat them and their positions as reasonable?

Why has he accepted and promoted their framing that the phony debt ceiling 'crisis' requires massive cuts? Why is he NOT attacking their hostage taking strategy?

As I stated, his actions have aided and abetted the actions of the Republican Party. I have no idea where Obama is getting his advice from, but it is seriously bad advice. And that is the most generous conclusion I can draw from events so far.

[tridim]

15. Because their terrorism is legal.

There is nothing he can do. He can't have them hanged.

2012 is the only chance we've got.

[flamingdem]

20. Too true. Democrats need to be more united than ever, as usual DU gets a fail

on that front with endless articles and comments about how they or the writer would have done things so much better and what a traitor Obama is... but they never talk about the pure numbers vote-wise that decide the way things go.

"Framing" is not going to help change a teapartiers vote, getting rid of them is the only way.

[Grandrose]

7. Posted by warren STUPIDITY....says it all!

:dunce:

[Warren Stupidity]

8. To answer your question: by accepting their framing, by

endlessly attempting to appease them as the 'Grand Conciliator', by refusing to use his access to the media to directly attack their tactics, Obama is aiding and abetting their hostage taking strategy.

[Grandrose]

17. Stupidity is FOREVER!

endlessly attempting to appease them as the 'Grand Conciliator', by refusing to use his access to the media to directly attack their tactics


Thanks for admitting it's extortion....:toast:

[Warren Stupidity]

21. So we agree that he is 'conciliating' with terrorists?

Ironically that idiot charge against him in 2008 has become true. Obama pals around with terrorists. Might I suggest another round of golf with that terrorist Boehner?

[ProSense]

11. The President isn't my "pal"

As for his "aiding and abetting" this, it takes a leap of logic to believe that Boehner and the teabaggers would be gentler, nicer and more willing to go along with Democrats if only Obama wasn't standing in the way.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. well that's a start. Perhaps over the next few months you'll come around. nt.

[tridim]

2. Otherwise known as terrorism.

I'm not even qualifying the word any more, it's just flat out terrorism.

I have no idea how to stop it.

[Grandrose]

4. Thanks for posting this!

Too bad that President Obama bashing threads will outnumber this.:thumbsup:

[Kdillard]

5. + 1000 and that is why we never get anything accomplished.

[Blue Meany]

9. That's precisely why I think the Dems should call their bluff:

the only way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them. Otherwise, they'll keep coming back for more and more every time there is an important vote. In the long run, the consequences of a default may be less than the consequences of giving in and rewarding this hostage-taking-as-governance.

[DCBob]

12. well if they are "bluffing" they are doing a really good job of it because we are already..

seeing negative effects of not having a deal.

[Blue Meany]

18. They may be crazy (and thus not bluffing) but they certainly are

bullies

[DCBob]

16. One thing to keep in mind in all this the WH and many Dems dont disagree about the need..

for budget reforms to deal with the debt. The question is how urgent is it and what form it should be in. I think many of cuts proposed are those the WH and most Dems in congress agree with.

[tigereye]

19. sadly this seems to be true