|
DesideriScuri -> RE: The Republican Position (10/9/2013 5:54:59 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: DarkSteven
The GOP has a lot of problems here, in this shutdown and also generally. One of them is a lack of sharp message.
1. The shutdown has two, kinda-linked purposes - Obamacare and the spending. When originally started, it was all about the ACA. Now it's more about spending. So the public is confused about what the point is. I suspect that, once the shutdown started, the GOP's polls showed that public opinion wasn't with them if the fight was about the ACA, so they tried again.
Actually, not quite true. This shutdown was over the CR. There was a debt limit fight coming up in Nov/Dec. IIRC. The shutdown started with the CR, but has brought the debt limit into it, too. It's about both. It was entirely possible that we'd have seen a shutdown fight over the debt limit, regardless of what happened with this CR. Obama refusing to negotiate until he gets both a clean CR and a raised debt ceiling is disingenuous. What is there to negotiate on if you have already gotten what you want?
quote:
2. The leader is unclear. Boehner has reluctantly been leader for negotiations, but his heart isn't in it. He never wanted the shutdown in the first place, and Obama is forcing him to not be in a good position to negotiate. Cruz wants to push it and is considered the leader within the GOP, but I suspect his sole motivation is to use this issue to burnish his own credentials as a twue conservative and leader, with no regard to how it affects his party. I suspect Cruz will be surprised how the rest of the party will refuse to work with him after this stunt.
Republicans didn't want to shut government down. Republicans also didn't want to continue Obamacare. They were willing to grind government to a (pseudo) halt to that end. Boehner controls the HoR and could bring any bill to the floor he wants. He doesn't need approval from Senator Cruz. If there is Republican support for a clean CR, then there needs to be a vote showing it. If there is support, that support needs to stand up and represent their constituents, rather than party. I'm going to go ahead and assume there are also Democrats who don't support Obamacare, but are equally keeping quiet because of party politics.
quote:
3. It's an unfortunate coincidence for the GOP that the debt limit vote is occurring so close to the CR-based shutdown. Confusion is never good for the side trying to make a point, and the debt ceiling potential fight and the CR fight are getting confused in the public's mind. If the GOP had been smarter, they would have passed a six week clean CR, quietly approved the raising of the debt limit ceiling, and then done the shutdown when the CR expired.
I have been shocked at how badly the GOP has done tactics since W's administration left. Rove sold out to run Crossroads, which I suspect pays better than government work, and nobody's replaced him as a numbers wonk - they're driven by pure ideology and rejection of reality.
There is no rejection of reality. That's just a talking point.
Both sides are driven by ideology more than anything. Both sides work more for re-election than anything. The reality is that we could have a knock-down drag out over the CR and another one over the debt limit. To think that the GOP would have gotten off easier had they passed a clean 6-week CR, raised the debt limit, and then come up with this shutdown fight and not been chastised like they are now is rejecting reality. What you've proposed is the GOP forcing a shutdown (which is how it will be painted) right as Christmas is coming up (which is how it will be framed). Not only will the GOP still take a beating over the shutdown, but it will be worse because of the holidays.
Worst thing is, it takes two to tango, but only the GOP is getting blamed.
|
|
|
|
