Posted on 07/30/2011 11:55:00 PM PDT by TakeChargeBob
I have come up with an effective solution that recognizes political reality, removes the political risks, maximizes our ability to obtain control of Congress and the Presidency in 2012 - all without compromising our position. The solution requires all of the components to be incorporated – there are no stand alone components. Here are the components:
1. Produce a clean debt ceiling increase bill for $400 - $500 billion.
This is not giving anything away it merely buys time to coincide with the budget and gets us out of the crisis mode that the public perceives that we own. This may provide us more leverage with the budget.
2. Pledge that all of the conditions in item 3 must occur for the debt ceiling to be raised the next time.
The key word is pledge. It is a pact to the people that the Republicans will stand firm and let the debt ceiling lapse if conditions aren’t met. Our rhetoric must consistently articulate the pledge so that we provide clarity that we cannot back down.
3. Conditions
a. Require that Obama submit a written budget. b. Require that Obama and the Democrats submit a written plan to save Social Security and Medicare. c. These must be scored by the CBO. We are forcing leadership from the President. We cannot negotiate with empty air. d. Require a specified minimum savings goal or amount. The amount in the clean debt ceiling bill will be reflected in the calculation. For example, assume the goal is to increase the debt limit by the same amount as savings. Then the savings must equal the new debt limit increase plus the amount in the clean debt ceiling. e. No tax increases Items d and e are no different than our current demands.
4. Back up the pledge and let the debt ceiling not be raised if conditions are not met. We need to explain that we want to avoid this at all costs. We have enough money for paying our debts and Social Security - we would not default. However, we recognize that people would be hurt. We also recognize that people will be hurt if we do not reign in spending.
5. Unity of Boehner and McConnell and the House Republicans to this plan.
No more negotiating with ourselves. We need to keep up the consistent message and focus.
6. Prime time speech for maximum impact.
The public will be listening. Label it as a solution to the crisis. It is a key opportunity. The importance of this speech cannot be underestimated. Some of the best orators could be utilized. We need to tie this together into one coherent message and provide clarity to our position and nothing can pass. We need to reassure the rating agencies that we will force some fiscal discipline.
Rationale
Political Reality: Our position of too much government and uncontrollable spending is popular. Despite what should be a slam dunk for us, we are losing the spin in the public. Absurdities and blatant lies from our opponents are utilized against us. The public hears that we are extremists who ant to hold the country hostage do not want to compromise. Perception is reality. As we are all over the place, there is no clarity to our position In addition, our performance was abysmal. We are negotiating with ourselves. I am sure that I am not the only one afraid of a sellout by Boehner or McConnell.
Political Risk: The biggest risk is having Obama elected for another term. There is too large a possibility of Republicans will be saddled with adverse consequences of no debt increase. With the economy so weak, it is possible that Obama may encourage disaster in order to place blame elsewhere. The small clean debt ceiling takes away our blame and our clarity and resolve to the suggested plan will allow us to gain the high ground and will hopefully put the debt ceiling onus on the Democrats.
Maximize Outcome of 2012: Smoking Obama and the Democrats out by forcing them to come up with a plan neuters their scare tactics and puts them at risk.
Why don’t we just build a raft and sail to Easter Island, instead?
“Strategery” is not a word.
Too late. The Republicans already sold you down the river.
Hopefully, the House will turn it down.
Yeah, right.
The Speaker has been in favor of a two and a half trillion dollar increase in the debt ceiling since day one. Every “plan” forwarded by the Republican leadership has increased the debt ceiling by almost two and half trillion dollars. Almost the entire Republican caucus has voted for one bill or another that would raise the debt ceiling by almost two and a half trillion dollars.
So, I’m sad to say, that’s a pipe dream.
If this battle is lost - not much use in keep on trying. The only solution will be 2012 - and with all the idiot freeloaders in America, I have very little hope! Not to mention the stupid politicians of both stripes that once in power seem to forget the Armageddon is coming...
How about the word in the thread title, "stategery" - - is that a word?
After the 2000 presidential election, people inside the Bush White House reportedly began using the term as a joke, and it later grew to become a term of art among them meaning oversight of any activity by Bush’s political consultants. Bush’s strategists also came to be known within the White House as “The Department of Strategery” or the “Strategery Group.”[2]
A February 9, 2001, transcript of a CNN interview attributes George Bush using the term, presumably as an intentional nod to the comedy sketch.[3] Affectionately embracing satirical portrayals has been a Bush tactic at other times as well, such as when he presented a self-parodying slide show at the May 2004 Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner about looking for weapons of mass destruction in the Oval Office[4] after the political comic strip Doonesbury satirically portrayed him on a similar comical search.
The term is now widely used in popular discourse across the political spectrum. Rush Limbaugh picked up the usage soon after the SNL airing, using it in an ironic sense in support of President Bush. A trial exhibit from the 2007 “Scooter” Libby trial included the term, in Libby’s daily schedule for June 10, 2003, which showed that Libby had a 6:00 pm “Strategery Meeting” scheduled to last 90 minutes.
“If this battle is lost - not much use in keep on trying.”
i had to give it a shot. There is too much at stake. If we lose 2012 - we lose the country. Unless the Supreme Court reaches the right decision, we would be stuck with Obamacare.
To Lancey - typo
LOL! Didn’t we just send 57 folks to the District of Corruption and Boner said “We will just co-opt them when they get here.”
Looks to me like he got 30 or so just the other night...
You were saying about pledges and such?
“we are losing the spin...”
We will never “win the spin” from the Ministry of Truth. Get over it. That said, the folks who are deceived deserve what they get. Of course, life is gonna get pretty rough even for those of us who ain’t deceived. Get over that, too. It is too late for blame. Get ready.
“1. Produce a clean debt ceiling increase bill for $400 - $500 billion. “
This doesn’t shelve the default issue until after the 2012 election — which is the thing Obama most wants.
The government shut down for 3 weeks in 1995. People barely noticed. The stock market went up. Leave the debt limit right where it is and force Obama to choose what obligations get paid and what gets temporarily shut down. Let him explain why he chose to fund the garbage while not funding Interest payments, SS/M, troops, VA, etc. Then remind the public that CCB would have funded everything in the immediate term and put us on a path to balancing our spending long term.
They are not going to make any changes until they have no other choice, i.e. they run out of money, interest rates spike, hyperinflation hits, food and gas shortages begin, no one will lend us money, etc, etc.
We might as well face it, a crisis of Great Depression proportions is the only thing that will stop these people.
. Republican control is not the answer. There is no one in leadership who even understands the question.
Electing Jim DeMint or Rand Paul President might do it. Otherwise, it's batten down the hatches and can a lot of food.
Obamacare is the skunk in the punch bowl.
Everyday, and in every way, the PUBs are showing that they are immaterial and cowardly in efforts to save this country from ruin and chaos.
Everyday, and in every way, the PUBs are paving the way to their own destruction. The final nail will be when Romney is nominated for President. That guarantees a third party candidate - Sarah Palin. Conservatives in Congress need to abandon the PUBs NOW before the whirlpool sucks them down too.
I know the arguement is that a third party can’t win; that it will only guarantee 0bambi’s reelection and that Governor Palin is “too devisive” to win.
The seeds for a new party have already been planted - the Tea Party caucus. All that remains is the formal declaration.
RUN, SARAH, RUN.
Geithner already went over the “ceiling” by $200 Billion since June by taking and spending federal/military retirement savings (debt now $14.5 Trillion)
We are not talking about them borrowing money for the future, they are desperate to borrow money that they already sent
Meanwhile did Barky warn anyone that the bombing of Tripoli would stop before the social security checks?
Who in the world would believe this "pledge"?
Instead of a "pledge" each congress critter and the President offered up their children and grandchildren, to be kept under armed guard, at the base of the Hoover Dam, with the understanding that if number three is not agreed to by date certain, all of the munchkens would be, in full view of the public via TV, drowned.
Under those conditions, I might, maybe, possibly take the "pledge" 'series'.
I volunteer to be the gatekeeper of the flood switch.
1) There are 53 Democrats in the Senate, and 4 Republicans who vote with them.
2) Barack Obama is the President.
3) 70% of voters either pay no tax, or get a Federal check, or both.
4) There are, at most, 60 votes in the House and 5 in the Senate to respect the Constitution.
My take on "political reality", on a beautiful Sunday morning.
The second coming of Christ is the only solution. We may be very close to that.
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