Just as the House Republicans are starting to relent on calls from their InsaniTEA wing to shut down the government, the Senate Republicans are picking up with hostage taking where the House Republicans left off. The most bought Senator in history announced that all Republican Senators will vote against raising the debt ceiling unless there are cuts to Social Security, Medicare and other entitlements.
In the next couple months, the Treasury Department predicts the U.S. will hit “D-Day,” the day the debt reaches the $14.3 trillion ceiling. The reality of the impending deadline has forced some Republican lawmakers to drop their “showdown” showboating for a more sober position on the debt ceiling. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) admitted that failing to raise the debt ceiling would be “a financial disaster” and send the country “into a tailspin.” House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) said such a failure is “unworkable” because “obviously, you can’t default.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) put it more bluntly, stating that this position would “bring collapse and calamity around the world.”
But after backing away from decimating the nation’s economic future, Republicans have now decided to ratchet up the pressure and the take it hostage. A whole host of Republican lawmakers are now angling to use the debt ceiling as leverage to enact severe cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and other saftey [sic] net programs. Today on Fox News Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) promised his entire caucus would vote against raisin the debt ceiling unless the White House agrees to cut entitlements…
…Watch it:
If there is any question about Senate Republicans’ intentions, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (R-TX) swiftly put it to bed. The “debt ceiling vote is ultimate leverage to get fiscal reform,” he tweeted yesterday. Failure to raise the debt ceiling would not only likely result in a government shutdown and weaker financial markets, and — as Center For American Progress’s David Min points out — higher interest costs on U.S. debt would ultimately make the long-term budget situation “even more problematic.”… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Think Progress>
Democrats have the power to move the measure through the Senate on a reconciliation rule as long as no no DINOs defect and goose-step with Bought Bitch Mitch. That’s what worries me.
16 Responses to “Republicans Return to Terrorism”
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Lookif we are going to get screwed either way,
1) because this band of ruffians want to hold the process hostage instead of do this in an orderly way
or
2) Because the president is going to take all of negotiating chips off the table and hand them over before the first hand is dealt. I would rather let the republicans shut the government down. They will or they will take this right to the edge but I if I were “Give ’em what they want” Barak. I would say “I sent my budget in , take it or leave it. The legislative branch has the purse.”
The one thing I don’t think he would do is sign something he absolutely abhorred. But then he’s not the man we thought he was. He must really like being a president who lets the other guy punch him right in the face. I know he has kids and all but has anyone checked lately, is there any report from a qualified physician that this guy actually has any testosterone or balls?
Your #2 is also my concern, Mark. It might help if he began the fight from the left rather that a cave-in position.
Let’s call the bought-bitch and his Republican cronies’ bluff and let them shut down the government. After a month without Medicare, Social Security, disability, police, or defense contracts, every one of them will be deservedly strung up and hung from the nearest lamp pole. Maybe as they’re dangling up there they’ll finally come to their senses and decide to cut defense spending and tax the rich as they should have been taxed all along. At the very least, it will force them to start getting serious about where cuts should really be made rather than picking on entitlements and programs for the poor.
Jack, because I live on social security and Medicare is my health care, a government shutdown would be tragic for me, but I would rather suffer that than see the Dems cave-in.
You are a good and noble man, TomCat!
Thanks, Jack!
I’m with Jack! 😎
Really? Is Mrs. J down with that? 😈
I agree with Jack and Tom—- caving will only make things worse– Time has more than come to stand up and call the bluff :
Like tom- my main source of income is SS and my health care medicare– But since I can’t picket and carry signs any more and we are going to suffer anyway under these A$$s — I will make it
That’s the way I see it, Phyllis. Better to hurt for a good cause that to just be steamrollered.
Only in a Teapublican “Up is Down, War is Peace, Black is White” kind of world can they both try to claim fiscal responsibility AND force a government shutdown:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/24/6124161-the-cost-of-keeping-the-governments-lights-off-
I think they think they can get away with blaming Obama for their damage, since they got away with it in 2010.
I can only say ditto, ditto, ditto. I might add that every time I see a photo of McConnell I have the same reaction I do when seeing pics of the tsunami. It’s all I can do to keep from throwing up.
Me too. Jebus that man is UGLY.
Reminiscent of a vulture. His appearance was my 💡 for term, filibuzzard.
I’m from Kentucky and can tell you something really disgusting about Mitch, though most of you probably already know. He actually claims to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ!!!!