{"id":5311,"date":"2011-07-05T02:15:36","date_gmt":"2011-07-05T09:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=5311"},"modified":"2011-07-05T02:15:36","modified_gmt":"2011-07-05T09:15:36","slug":"clinton-is-half-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2011\/07\/05\/clinton-is-half-right\/","title":{"rendered":"Clinton is Half Right"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the struggle to fight off criminal Republican blackmail holding the economic stability of our nation hostage, many have expressed ideas on how to proceed.  One is former President, Bill Clinton.  He suggested that Obama should not blink, but if necessary, should cut a short term deal, based on spending cuts agreed to so far.  Clinton is half right.  Furthermore, new information may well help explain the Republicans\u2019 true intent.<\/font><\/p>\n

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\"5Clinton\"Former President Bill Clinton Saturday night urged President Obama not to "blink" at Republican demands to exclude revenue increases from any agreement to extend the government’s debt ceiling<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If Republicans maintain their opposition to revenue increases, Clinton said, Obama should pursue a short-term deal to extend the debt ceiling based on spending cuts both sides have already accepted<\/strong> in the negotiations between the administration and Congressional leaders from both parties.<\/p>\n

"I hope they will make a mini-deal," Clinton said in an interview conducted with him at the Aspen Ideas Festival here.<\/p>\n

The White House and Congressional negotiators from both parties are attempting to assemble a deficit reduction package that could win support in Congress for legislation to extend the nation’s debt ceiling, which the Treasury says the government will reach on August 2. The talks have foundered amid demands from Congressional Republicans to exclude any revenue increases from that prospective deficit reduction package.<\/p>\n

Asked what the administration could do if GOP leaders hold to that posture, Clinton replied: "First the White House could blink. I hope that won’t happen. I don’t think they should blink."<\/p>\n

If Republicans will not accept revenues in a package to lift the debt ceiling by August 2, Clinton said, Obama should pursue a short-term agreement based on the spending reductions both sides have already accepted\u2026 [emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inserted from <The Atlantic<\/a>><\/p>\n

Obama should not blink, but he should not accept a short term deal based on cuts alone.<\/font><\/p>\n

Last night on Countdown<\/a>, Keith Olbermann covered the latest in the debt fiasco, including Clinton\u2019s statement.<\/font><\/p>\n