Can Republicans win a government shutdown?
Can the Republicans claim political victory again? I’m skeptical.
First of all, Barack Obama isn’t Bill Clinton. The level of ideological stamina in the White House, not to mention the willingness to fracture the nation to protect spending, is rather imposing. Moreover, Obama has no incentive to compromise after winning an election convincingly, and with the help of some of his friends in the media, he’s been able to portray the GOP as obstructionists for failing to rubber-stamp his agenda.
Then, John Boehner isn’t Newt Gingrich, either. For all we hear about the latter’s eccentricities and faults, the Gingrich Congress — for a while there, at least — was imbued with a sense of purpose and offered Americans a cogent argument. Folks may not remember, but in the early phases of the fight, Clinton’s poll numbers were dropping — and nothing hurt the man more.
The country, too, is different. We will never — and I mean never — hear Obama offer America a speech declaring the era of big government over, because, well, it would be preposterous, and it’s not as if the country wants to hear it.
Blowback
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Will Republicans ever consider such a thing?
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Bishop on January 10, 2013 at 7:49 PM
if the GOP really wanted to cut spending they wouldn’t even consider raising the debt ceiling…
equanimous on January 10, 2013 at 7:51 PM
Look, AMERICA would win from a government shut-down. If the GOP took seriously its role it wouldn’t attempt to look further down the road than addressing the immediate issue and letting the chips fall where they may.
TexasDan on January 10, 2013 at 7:52 PM
Screw the Republicans, America wins a shutdown. There isn’t any spending….
Rio Linda Refugee on January 10, 2013 at 7:53 PM
Yes, Republicans can win in a government shutdown, because Obama and the Senate WILL HAVE TO make a deal with the House if they want it open again.
But that’s now how Weepy Boner and Louisville Mitch define “winning”. They define “winning” as “defeat Obama in the LSM”. Which will NEVER happen. And so they lose every confrontation with rat-ears.
wildcat72 on January 10, 2013 at 7:55 PM
Stop it! Stop it right there. We’re freaking broke. The best and brightest among the elites are talking about freaking trillion dollar coins and IOUs. Republicans can no longer afford to worry about a “political” win. Let me save every republican elected official out there the trouble: You wont “win” the political battle, because it’s not really a “political” battle. Rather it’s a media battle, and the MSM simply wont let you win. If you give 90% away to Obama, the Press will place the blame upon you for the 10% you stubbornly demanded from him. Stop it. We’ve entered into the phase of national media insanity. Do what’s right. We have a debt limit, it must be honored. We spend more than we take in, that must be reversed. We can’t tax our way out of this, we can’t print our way out of this, and we can’t mint our way our of this, not with a thousand trillion dollar coins. Republicans, sometimes being the adult means you have to do what’s right, and face the consequences. Just listen to Rick Santelli
Weight of Glory on January 10, 2013 at 7:56 PM
The Repubs. cannot win anything and the Stat Run Media sees to it. All that aside, Boehner is no Gingrich and Bury is really the first black pResident.
Rio Linda Refugee on January 10, 2013 at 8:01 PM
If they have balls enough to stick it out, its that simple.
Go on every news program and unapologetically tell the nation when the president agrees to a balanced budget amendment the money will flow to his union/government/corruption industrial complex again.
Speakup on January 10, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Yes, we will NEVER win in the media, ever, because the media are Obama’s Praetorian Guard. I know this, you know this, and Weepy Boner should know this.
But they CAN (as I said above) win a shutdown, if their goal IS to force Obama and the Senate to cut spending.
The House holds the spending purse strings. All spending authorization must originate in the House. If the House refuses to authorize any new spending until the President and Senate agree to budget cuts (shedding the $800 billion porkulus that has been baked in since 2009 would be a great start) then there will be no spending, trillion dollar coin or no.
I submit that Boner won’t do this because his goal is to cut deals with Obama, not cut spending.
wildcat72 on January 10, 2013 at 8:06 PM
Time to put the party aside and win this one for the American people. What good does it do us if the GOP is still around 20 years from now if we’re living in Greece II?
besser tot als rot on January 10, 2013 at 8:09 PM
Hence the Republicans and the republic lose.
Rio Linda Refugee on January 10, 2013 at 8:14 PM
Who cares if the Republicans can win, shut it down!
Besides, no matter what happens the Republicans will be blamed, might as well stand up for something in the meantime.
toby11 on January 10, 2013 at 8:15 PM
Sure, invent a time machine and go back to when the media was still neutral and buy it to keep it neutral. One might have to go back 80 years but there is no way to win with the current media no matter what happens.
tjexcite on January 10, 2013 at 9:34 PM
If they had the balls of a hamster, maybe. As it is? I really doubt it.
MelonCollie on January 11, 2013 at 8:27 AM