GOP on verge of huge, unprecedented political victory

The Washington Post ^ | 07/31/2011 | Greg Sargent

[MinorityRepublican]

By all accounts, it looks like a deal is about to be announced in which the debt ceiling is hiked in exchange for the promise of major spending cuts, including to entitlements, totalling at least $2.4 trillion.

Anything can happen, but it apppears the GOP is on the verge of pulling off a political victory that may be unprecedented in American history. Republicans may succeed in using the threat of a potential outcome that they themselves acknowledged would lead to national catastrophe as leverage to extract enormous concessions from Democrats, without giving up anything of any significance in return.

Not only that, but Republicans — in perhaps the most remarkable example of political up-is-downism in recent memory — cast their willingness to dangle the threat of national crisis as a brave and heroic effort they’d undertaken on behalf of the national interest. Only the threat of national crisis could force the immediate spending cuts supposedly necessary to prevent a far more epic crisis later.

Under the emerging deal, President Obama can hike the debt limit in two stages — the first in exchange for equivalent cuts; the second after a Congressional committee comes up with second round of yet more cuts, including to entitlements. The talks appear close to resolving the spending cut“trigger” that would force the committee to act — without giving the GOP an incentive to deliberately sabotage its work. The remaining question is how to get it through the House. But a deal seems immiment.

Again and again, Dems drew lines in the sand that they promptly erased as the threat of default grew. A clean debt ceiling hike? Dropped. Cuts to Medicare benefits? They’ll likely be in that committee’s crosshairs. The insistence on revenue hikes? Withdrawn.

[dogcaller]

‘both of you hit on one of the next major targets for TEA’...you are so right. I have been banging away at the baseline budgeting shellgame for days, on-line and at home..., so sick of hearing both Republicans and Democrats refer to ‘cuts’ when the whole world needs to know they are only speaking of reductions in the planned rate of growth. Congress needs to zero out each budget line item and use it’s constitutional budget authority during each cycle rather this dishonest scheme that compounds federal spending every few years.

[Michael Barnes]

BS. D.C. isn't interested in what is best for the country because D.C. long ago lost the ability to be interested in the individual and individual rights. With that long gone, D.C. is no longer content with raping the adults' wallets of this country; now their flat out going for multi-generational theft.

They should be hung.

[patriot preacher]

Cutting $2.4 Trillion — over 10 years. This year ALONE our deficit is $1.6 Trillion. These “cuts” in spending will actually amount to around a 6% reduction in PLANNED SPENDING INCREASES over the next decades. There are no REAL “cuts” here. Smoke — and mirrors.

There is no enforced cap on what Government can spend relative to national GDP. “Cut, Cap & Balance” capped the Fed. Gov’t at no more than 19.9% of GDP. But this plan puts NO limit of the % of GDP. The Government could literally spend 100% of every dollar in our economy — if the Socialists in charge wanted to.

And the Balanced Budget Amendment they discussed (is it even included in this final version) included no specifics, so it could propose that the budget be balanced by massive tax increases rather than spending cuts. In the CCB, the Balanced Budget Amendment was specifically written to achieve balance by spending cuts.

The WaPo wants this to LOOK like a victory for Republicans — because it achieves the ENDS of the Statists. Ultimately, it serves the purposes of Obama and his followers, and WHEN things go wrong, it provides excuses (the deep cuts demanded by Republicans, etc) to BLAME Republicans — and particularly the Tea Party/Conservatives for the problems.

You think the 22 Heros who stood against the Boehner plan were under pressure before — the wrath of both parties, all of Washington and the entire Mainstream Media will fall on them soon.

Watch closely to see the final vote in the House and Senate on this “ultimate compromise.” We might even lose a few more of the 22. Who knows? But this isn’t the answer. And it only brings closer the collapse that will come.

[Gene Eric]

>> made Obama and Reid look like impotent silly little children

Irrelevant. The GOP was rewarded for accommodating Obama’s 2012 reelection priorities. While also falling short of the TEA Party mandate, the GOP insiders engaged in pointless, arrogant ridicule of TP members.

Abating further decline is not victory.

[tumblindice]

`Pyrrhic victory’ Meaning: A victory gained at too great a cost.

The Demoblicans get to raise the deficit ceiling—which was the schwerpunct (`heavy point of attack,’ if you will) of this drama in three parts; they agree on a joint commitment to deficit reductions; and, the GOP sets tax hikes aside, for now.

I wouldn’t trust Reid if he secured this agreement with a mortgage to his house.
The Tea Party got played. The Beltway won, again.

[faucetman]

IF, GOP is getting this kind of credit, I'll take it.

Kicking the can down the road “to 2012” is a GOOD thing. We can't get done what needs to be done without the Senate and White House. So, we take what we can get, FOR NOW. In 2012 we clean house (the white house) and the Senate and pass REAL reforms. We then will have to fight with RINOs. Should be easier than with the current Communists.

[WaldenPond]

Please don’t abuse animals.

[JaguarXKE]

The GOP is getting “the promise” of cuts. Ha! They’re being played just like the DemoRATS played Reagan when he agreed to a tax increase in return for the “promise” of future cuts - cuts that NEVER happened!

[BobP]

Clearly, you cannot cut government by giving it more ability to borrow and spend.

Obama's gravy train keeps chugging along.

I don't think it is possible for this country to have a more sorry bunch of losers running the show.

 An arrogant Marxist was spending
 Trillions of bucks without comprehending.
 The piss-stream media concurred
 Without saying a negative word
 For the Republic they thought was ending.

Egan-Jones, the only really independent and credible ratings agency, downgraded the U.S. from AAA to AA+.

[moovova]

Go ahead and pass it so we can find out what’s in it...

[RummyChick]

Sam Youngman
samyoungman Sam Youngman
Dem familiar with negotiations says everyone’s on board; just waiting for Boehner
11 minutes ago

[Terry Mross]

From what I can see the overseas markets aren’t panicking. It’s going to be interesting to see the DJ tomorrow after no vote has been taken.

[org.whodat]

Must be free crack day in DC.

[rbg81]

It wasn’t a victory of any kind. Any cuts “in the out years” will never happen.

[ken21]

ditto.

[mrsmith]

The best part: It will be passed by just Dems and RINOs.

Pelosi has been told to get the votes.

[Paladin2]

Who in Congress is collecting Social Security $$$$?

Pelosi? Reid?

[Terry Mross]

Great idea. They all want a means test for SS. They should be means tested.

[PubliusMM]

“...the debt ceiling is hiked in exchange for the promise of major spending cuts...”

That’s all you need to know. The GOP caved, AGAIN. There is no acceptable reason to raise the debt ceiling. But...Boner and the RINO’s got a ‘promise’...

They should all resign.

[Pigsley]

Is that Rush's kitty-cat in that trap?

I love me some Rush, but I was getting tired of hearing the “trap/trick” theme on his show last week.

Still...I love me some Rush. Can't wait to listen to him tomorrow!