To play devil's advocate (without using my redneck voice and yell, "If you don't luv Amerkuh, then you can git out!"), I think the fiscal cliff thing is being subjected to quite a lot of spin from Obama's people. For example, they've successfully defined it as solely an issue about taxes on rich people, but Boehner has some other objections, as well:
1. He won't surrender his party's control of debt-ceiling negotiations (this is a political tactic, but that's the game, folks)
2. He thinks we need to address entitlements more seriously.
The first point is a philosophical one as well, in that Congress should have the right to control the debt ceiling. If the GOP was more cooperative, I'd be more supportive of Boehner. The problem is that they're in the hands of some real economic extremists--like, I'm afraid to say, Rand Paul. Now, the Paul clan is more amenable to negotiation than someone like Sarah Palin, but only just. They really are the true believers of anti-government ideology, and that's just not very helpful in a debt crisis-recession dynamic.
The second point is more substantive, in my view. The big budget items on the table include things like Social Security, which is political poison (look what happened to Romney). But, old people are determined to tax under-employed young people no matter what, just on principle and not genuine need. That's crazy. Plus, defense spending isn't coming down fast enough. We can make demand-side justifications for other big line items, like middle class tax cuts / entitlements, but cutting checks to retirees who don't need them, and carrying on our Sisyphean task in Afghanistan ad infinitum are not really sustainable arguments in a rational universe. Still Obama's team have avoided these more serious issues by playing up to Boehner's stupid defense of supply-side nonsense. They're walking right into the trap Barry set for them, just like Romney did for the entire election. Still, giving the GOP rope to hang itself with is also a stupid policy--that's how we got into Iraq.
So, in my view Boehner has raised some elements of legitimate issues, but he needs to concede that he's lost the public debate and save us from a double-dip recession. That means giving up his Speaker post. I bet he'll cry.
Z
Disclaimers: I'm not young and I voted for Obama.
1. He won't surrender his party's control of debt-ceiling negotiations (this is a political tactic, but that's the game, folks)
2. He thinks we need to address entitlements more seriously.
The first point is a philosophical one as well, in that Congress should have the right to control the debt ceiling. If the GOP was more cooperative, I'd be more supportive of Boehner. The problem is that they're in the hands of some real economic extremists--like, I'm afraid to say, Rand Paul. Now, the Paul clan is more amenable to negotiation than someone like Sarah Palin, but only just. They really are the true believers of anti-government ideology, and that's just not very helpful in a debt crisis-recession dynamic.
The second point is more substantive, in my view. The big budget items on the table include things like Social Security, which is political poison (look what happened to Romney). But, old people are determined to tax under-employed young people no matter what, just on principle and not genuine need. That's crazy. Plus, defense spending isn't coming down fast enough. We can make demand-side justifications for other big line items, like middle class tax cuts / entitlements, but cutting checks to retirees who don't need them, and carrying on our Sisyphean task in Afghanistan ad infinitum are not really sustainable arguments in a rational universe. Still Obama's team have avoided these more serious issues by playing up to Boehner's stupid defense of supply-side nonsense. They're walking right into the trap Barry set for them, just like Romney did for the entire election. Still, giving the GOP rope to hang itself with is also a stupid policy--that's how we got into Iraq.
So, in my view Boehner has raised some elements of legitimate issues, but he needs to concede that he's lost the public debate and save us from a double-dip recession. That means giving up his Speaker post. I bet he'll cry.
Z
Disclaimers: I'm not young and I voted for Obama.
I'm always in search for faith-free spaces. Let's make them, enlarge them, and enjoy them!
Bertrand Russell quotes!
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State -- if you haven't joined their Facebook page, do so by all means.
Bertrand Russell quotes!
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State -- if you haven't joined their Facebook page, do so by all means.
