Interesting article on the debt limit negotiations

[CosmicCowboy]

Too long to cut and paste

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...fJS_story.html

[CosmicCowboy]

So Obama lied and said the Republicans wouldn't agree to raise taxes when they in fact agreed to raise taxes? What a surprise.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

So Obama lied and said the Republicans wouldn't agree to raise taxes when they in fact agreed to raise taxes? What a surprise.

I read that as the speaker being open to it. Unfortunately, the 2010 election has been run like a mandate for the tea party rhetoric. the article cuts off ofter the first two pages though so was there something i missed?

[Winehole23]

This narrative will be spun six ways from Sunday...and has been already.

[EVAY]

I read that article, CC, and what I came away with was that Boehner and Obama were both in favor of it but that both were afraid that their respective bases wouldn't go for it. Boehner was told straight out that his House republicans would NEVER vote for it, and Obama was afraid that he's base wouldn't go along with such a SMALL tax hike.

At least that is how I read it.

Both sides blame the other, just as they did at the time, and just as they will until the next thing is put on the table.

They are both pretty much equally to blame, imho.

[RandomGuy]

[RandomGuy]

[CosmicCowboy]

I read that as the speaker being open to it. Unfortunately, the 2010 election has been run like a mandate for the tea party rhetoric. the article cuts off ofter the first two pages though so was there something i missed?

Yeah, it doesn't get really juicy till page 4. Just go ahead and register. It's OK to get your news somewhere else but Thinkprogress.

[CosmicCowboy]

I read that article, CC, and what I came away with was that Boehner and Obama were both in favor of it but that both were afraid that their respective bases wouldn't go for it. Boehner was told straight out that his House republicans would NEVER vote for it, and Obama was afraid that he's base wouldn't go along with such a SMALL tax hike.

At least that is how I read it.

Both sides blame the other, just as they did at the time, and just as they will until the next thing is put on the table.

They are both pretty much equally to blame, imho.

They could have strong arm sold it if they wanted to. They had the power to squash anyone that got out of line. Oh, the TP rookies could make noise but they would never get a juicy committee assignment or re-election funds from the RNC. That's just how the game works up there.

[EVAY]

They could have strong arm sold it if they wanted to. They had the power to squash anyone that got out of line. Oh, the TP rookies could make noise but they would never get a juicy committee assignment or re-election funds from the RNC. That's just how the game works up there.

But one of the criticisms of Boehner's leadership style has been that he has refused to employ any of the old line strong-arm tactics a la Armey. It was one of the things that he ran on to get elected speaker. But it has also made him a weak (er) leader, historically, than lots of his predecessors precisely because he promised not to do those things.

Word is that they tried to tell the TP freshmen that the RNC would withhold funds and the response was "Bring it on". If that is true, then the TP freshmen are essentially ungovernable, which is a bit what it has looked like for the last year or so.

I really do fear that the Republican Party of a few decades ago is no longer recognizable. I can go along with the spending cuts, happily, but I can't go along with the social controls and religious requirements of the Republican Party of today. I truly do believe in limited government...I want it limited to outside my bedroom and my body...and everybody else's.

Plus, to me, being a social conservative requires accepting tax increases along with spending cuts. At least in this economic environment.

[CosmicCowboy]

But one of the criticisms of Boehner's leadership style has been that he has refused to employ any of the old line strong-arm tactics a la Armey. It was one of the things that he ran on to get elected speaker. But it has also made him a weak (er) leader, historically, than lots of his predecessors precisely because he promised not to do those things.

Word is that they tried to tell the TP freshmen that the RNC would withhold funds and the response was "Bring it on". If that is true, then the TP freshmen are essentially ungovernable, which is a bit what it has looked like for the last year or so.

I really do fear that the Republican Party of a few decades ago is no longer recognizable. I can go along with the spending cuts, happily, but I can't go along with the social controls and religious requirements of the Republican Party of today. I truly do believe in limited government...I want it limited to outside my bedroom and my body...and everybody else's.

Plus, to me, being a social conservative requires accepting tax increases along with spending cuts. At least in this economic environment.

totally agree

[ElNono]

To read the whole story, click "Print" on the 1st page. You'll get the whole thing.

I'll try to read later on when I have time.