White House Flickr
In a move that should surprise no one, yesterday Harry Reid gave the president permission to ignore Congress and hike the debt ceiling all by himself.
The letter from Senate Democrats opens with a salvo that clearly indicates the Democrat strategy has not changed one iota: "As you know, Republicans leaders are threatening to bring on economic catastrophe unless Democrats make deep cuts to Medicaid and Social Security." Vilify and destroy. Republicans want to go after poor people and the elderly, and if we have to violate the Constitution to protect them, well, by golly, it's our responsibility.
Any doubt that the Democrats mean to crush their opposition? Last paragraph: "It would be wrong to slash earned benefits for seniors and middle class families while allowing corporations, millionaires and billionaires to continue to exploit wasteful tax loopholes." Ah yes. The Republicans care only about millionaires and billionaires (read: anyone making $200k and up--likely to continue moving downward every time a tax hike is implemented on another segment) at the expense of children with autism and Downs Syndrome. Seriously. That's their favorite line. Just you wait. It will be back.
If Republicans pull a "Mitt Romney" (again) and allow this fraudulent line of attack, which has been going on for over four years, and Obama's cunning divide and conquer strategy, to force them to pivot to defense, they are DONE. FInished. They are foolish not to have pulled themselves together already to be out in front of these inane attacks, distortions, and character assaults. Republicans should be on offense right now. And if they think they'll win by putting Mitch McConnell and John Boehner out front, not talking big ideas but about what they've given up on any given day in the "negotiating process," they truly have learned nothing.
The Republican strategy is not working, because they don't have one, other than appeasement. Time for the hand-wringing and cowering to stop. Time for the maneuvering for personal advantage to cease. Start thinking big. Start plotting the course to save our nation, and yes, put their political future on the line to do it.
Congressional leaders--and that must include those brave, articulate but non-establishment conservatives who give us hope--must come up with an aggressive, bold, principled plan to take on the president's scurrilous attempt to circumvent the Constitution and continue propelling us toward Greece. This is not rocket science. But it requires Republican rose colored glasses--the ones that STILL mistakenly see an Obama who will negotiate honorably on spending and who wants a legacy of prosperity--to be smashed. His goals are twofold: destroy Republican opposition and fundamental transformation. If conservative and Republican leaders don't step up fast, he'll get both.
