Wapo - "The Republican Party in one tweet"

[TomCADem]

There is no fiscal cliff deal because Republicans will not agree to a deal unless President Obama agrees to their demand that he include entitlement cuts that Republicans also say they oppose:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/30/the-republican-party-in-one-tweet/

This is pretty much the Republican Party in one tweet:



Today’s Republican Party thinks the key problem America faces is out-of-control entitlement spending. But cutting entitlement spending is unpopular and the GOP’s coalition relies heavily on seniors. And so they don’t want to propose entitlement cuts. If possible, they’d even like to attack President Obama for proposing entitlement cuts. But they also want to see entitlements cut and will refuse to solve the fiscal cliff or raise the debt ceiling unless there are entitlement cuts.

You can see why these negotiations aren’t going well.

How can you govern when the Republicans control half of Congress? Amazing.

[high density]

1. Ezra Klein is just realizing this?

For one thing there is the fact that social security isn't adding to the deficit.

Then there's the fact it isn't an "entitlement," it's something we've all paid into. Is my 401k also an "entitlement?"

Next we have the fact that every time Obama agrees with a terrible Republican idea for whatever stupid reason, the Republicans spring into action and blame him for their own terrible ideas. (See health care reform.)

Finally we have the media that apparently has no memory or transcripts so the Republicans can blast out whatever the heck they want from their own alternative reality. It gets reported as fact.

[Yavin4]

2. See, Republicans Do Believe in Logic

It's circular logic, but it's logic nonetheless.

[RobertEarl]

3. Remember this cut?

Obama and the democratic congress, in 2009, cut $714 billion from Medicare spending.

So in 2010 the republicans campaigned against that spending cut.