Bipartisan Intransigence
Coverage of Republican intransigence in deficit negotiations has been lavish, and indeed overwhelming. Criticism towards Republicans has ranged from harsh to scathing, with a hefty dose of contempt. The cause celebre is the “Tea Party” Republicans who threaten to revolt if Speaker Boehner does anything that even smells of the hated word “compromise”.
But Democrats have been getting a pass from wide swaths of the commentariat. The excuses are creative, but the basic logic is caveman political tribalism: Republican bad, so Democrat good. Grunt.
This is in spite of the fact that some Democrats are threatening to challenge President Obama in the primaries. The President’s crime? The exact same thing as Boehner’s: compromise:
But while most of the media focuses on Republican Boehner and the tea party pressures on him to raise the debt limit not one Liberty dime, Sanders’ mumblings are a useful reminder that hidden in the shadows of this left-handed presidency are militant progressives like Sanders who don’t want to cut one Liberty dime of non-Pentagon spending.
The fact is that intransigence is bipartisan in this Congress. Purists in both parties are doing everything they can to sabotage compromise and force their leaders to toe a path of political self-immolation rather than recognizing the idiocy of the purists’ demands. Republican purists demand budget balancing without any new revenue, either from tax increases or closure of even the most outlandish tax loopholes. Matching them bumble-for-bumble, Democratic purists are insisting either that the budget crisis be ignored entirely or that it be addressed without touching the entitlement programs that are the primary driving force behind skyrocketing federal expenditures.
Why do they do it? It’s because both parties know that their base is secure as long as they toe the line, and the actual consequences for the country be damned. As long as members of each parties’ base continue to give their “side” a pass, the country will remain deadlocked and the economy in peril of default.
But none of that matters to the partisan purists, as long as they “win”.
19 Responses to “Bipartisan Intransigence”
It’s true that the far to extreme Left is upset at Obama and at the Congressional Democrats — they believe the “lesson of 2010″ was that the Democrats weren’t far left enough(!). It would be interesting indeed if Obama faced a primary challenge, though rather than an extremist we’d be better off if Hillary Clinton were the challenger (or if she ran an independent campaign, unlikely as it is).
I don’t understand what Boehner is selling or what the tea party think they gain. The Bush tax cuts did not create jobs, but instead sent those who got the cuts to Wall St. to gamble. So why not roll back the Bush tax cuts? Giving Corporate Welfare to companies that outsource jobs seem pretty foolish to me. Free trade is not free and it is creating unemployment here and in some cases creating slavery in other countries. And Bernie Sanders put forth a 50/50 plan with cuts and increased revenue, so he was ready to hold his nose and compromise.
Logan – I think you are trying to make a false equivalence here. I have followed this debate very closely and while there have been some gnashing of teeth over entitlement cuts by Pelosi and some others, they have been absolutely dwarfed by Eric Cantor alone. Yes Progressives are worried about cuts to their beloved programs but Obama and serious Democrats have agreed to Medicare cuts and a cut in Social Security by changing the escalator clause.
In return for cutting their beloved programs the Democrats are asking for some pain by republicans in the form of some increased revenue. It’s the Republicans who are demanding the whole pie – their way or no way. I have not heard a single democrat put it in those stark terms.
Remember, Tax revenue is only 15% of GNP, the lowest in 50 years, is it so unreasonable to bring that up to 15.7%? How low do republicans want to bring tax revenue? 10% of GNP? 5% of GNP? 0% of GNP? What is their goal?
Up until this week I was blaming the GOP 100%. After seeing Reid’s proposal (to be honest I ignored his crying as I ignored others that would make a deal but wanted a good one) I am now agreeing that the Dems have a large part in it as well, around 30%. I only say 30 because this should not be tied to the debt ceiling debate at all, that was a political choice by the GOP and they can stop it at any point. Having said all of that Boehner and Obama have both tried to be helpful. McConnel, Reid and Cantor have been horrid. Reid would have been better off offering nothing or a clean bill. What he offered is an insult as much as Boehners bill is.
I would note that Boehner is not being helpful or a standup guy now. He is acting in the spirit of Cantor, Reid and McConnel but in my view he is doing so because he has no choice due to the TP factions power in the current House.
I leave out Pelosi since 1 she doesnt matter at this time and 2 I think if the House doesnt vote for Boehners latest deal he will cut a deal with the Dems that will enrage the TP and I think Pelosi will make a deal. I focus my anger either at those that are harming the process or those that refuse to compromise at all. The House TP faction and Cantor refuse to compromise, McConnel, Reid in my view are harming the process. Pelosi is merely not really helping which is bad but a lessor evil than what is currently on display.
I still say Obama wants and will make a deal though IF Reid,McConnel and Boehner (possibly Pelosi) can create one and pass it that is.
There is no Bipartisan intransigence. Only Republican intransigence.
The Republican party is the minority in government. The majority is Democrat.
The Democrats have offered them reasonable concession, yet they refuse to accept like they are holding a gun against the majority of the American people.
The Republican party is fully responsible for the damage they cause the people of the United States, and, indeed the world, for their selfish, childish, pirate tactic.
There is no doubt that TAXES MUST BE RAISED!
Right now the Dems are, at least, (at long last?) conceding to reality (no rush to impose capricious, envy-appealing tax increases) while the GOP (in the House) is stalling for more, rejecting what they had supported earlier, one payer says.
http://www.examiner.com/democrat-in-las-vegas/facts-reid-debt-reduction-plan-was-supported-by-gop-until-democrats-agreed
BUT — notice there are no specific reductions in entitlements.
AND — what does the Boehner plan do to entitlements? Nothing?
MSF, thank you for your willingness to abandon absolutist memes and consider opposing arguments. I think I very nearly agree with your position. In particular, I’ll grant your exemption of Pelosi. I can’t stand Rep. Pelosi, but you are unquestionably right about how the minority party has zero power in the House.
First evidence I have seen in some time that a left-leaning group exists in the US.
Agreed that the Dems are not “right” simply because the Republicans are obviously wrong.
“Two wrongs dont make a right”
Kindergarten teachers for congress 2012?
It amazes me that some will argue that they aren’t being partisan on the basis of how “right” their political positions are. In the end, if you hold out solving the crisis for any political position, you are putting politics ahead of the crisis. This is simple logic, no matter how you “spin” it.
But then neither party has any real interest in the welfare of the country. One party or the other may do a a better job of “appearing” less partisan, but every time I’ve ever looked into it, it has been an illusion. (And, in any case, each has been willing to give a partisan push to the next crisis). In the end both parties are willing to sell the country down the river if they think the other party will get more blame (giving them, given the system prevents any other choices, an advantage).
We will never break out of this until we change the electoral system. As I mentioned in my other posts. I like instant-runoff voting…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting
JDL,
Why do you keep throwing that number around when you know it is a temporary phenomenon under current policy, much less current law?
Hardly the type of fact-based approach one would expect from someone with a business background.
Under current policy, revenue to GDP is projected to reach about 19 percent by 2021, nearly 21 percent under current law. So if we leave things as they are, revenues will be higher than they are today and higher than their average in the post-war era.
“Logan – I think you are trying to make a false equivalence here.” ~ jdledell
It’s well established that Logan loves the false equivalence. It is a refuge, a healing balm, an oasis, a gift from heaven… of course it’s also a load of nonsense.
davidsummers, I agree 100% with your advocacy of IRV. It would bring more accountability to govt than all the investigations, special prosecutors, and impeachments put together. Of course it would also present a dire threat to both parties, so we probably won’t be seeing it any time soon – sorry to say.
What utter nonsense.
You are echoing Republican lies.
This “crisis” belongs to the Republicans. They caused it single-handedly.
Claiming that somehow Democrats refusing to play their game makes them co-conspirators in this mess it like saying that arson victims are to blame for their own deaths for not having the foresight to be out when the fire was set.
There is absolutely no reason the US should be in a tight spot right now. No one has ever risked defaulting on the national debt to play political games. Congressional Republicans are dragging down the country, well, just because they want to. There is no reason behind their actions. they are practically frothing at the mouth.
And writers like you are sitting back, sucking on your pipes, and muttering about how there is plenty of blame to go around.
The starting point of this “debate” is a Republican wet dream. The fact that we are even considering an enormous reduction in public spending at the absolute worst time for such a move is purely a Republican idea that, for some reason the entire media has bought into. No one is asking “should we be walking down this path,” like a responsible fifth estate. An idea whose entire premise is so far right that is off the charts is being treated as a mainstream, maybe even left of center duty.
Wake up!
There is no crisis except the one they caused. In a sane world they would be up on treason charges. Instead yahoos like you are asking why we don’t meet them halfway.
The answer is that even half-way Republican is all the way insane.
So it’s intransigence if the Democratic President and the Democratic Senate don’t roll over and do exactly what the Republican House wants.
So what would you call the Republican Minority in the Senate who filibustered damn near every bill that showed up in the previous Congress, if not intransigence.
Bit if the Republican’s followed norms, this debt limit would have been raised months ago and they would now be working on next years budget in which they could put all the cuts they want to.
But they won’t do that, because they consider any Democrat in the White House to be illegitimate, which is what this whole kabuki dance is about.
Logan – the same “dichotomy” can be seen in the reporting (and exultations by some on this site) of Boehner’s plan’s “failed math,” with nothing said about the CBO finding the same about Reid’s plan.
Well, DLS, a Republican getting lambasted for the exact same thing a Democrat gets a pass for is hardly new around here…
Good lord, when you guys are faced with reality how about using it as a learning opportunity??? That playing the victim card is just embarrassing.
JSpencer, it’s pretty arrogant to assume that every time someone disagrees with you it is a “learning opportunity” for them. Do you really believe you are infallible?
I have to say that the more each party seeks to make sure the other party gets the “blame” for the crisis, the more sure I am that they themselves are more interested in the politics of the issue rather than the solution.
Logan, if you reject all learning opportunities you won’t know any more on the day you kick off than you do now, at least not anything important. And no, I’m not infallible. Nobody is – not even you.