Obama’s real goal: To break the GOP
House Republicans have backed themselves into an awkward place on the debt-ceiling: unwilling to vote to lift it, but equally unwilling to take the blame for not lifting it. They’ve been looking for an escape from the dilemma. In 2011, Obama cut them a face-saving deal. This time, he’s insisted: no deal. His White House has rejected every brain-wave that might de-escalate the confrontation, including the notorious “trillion-dollar coin” concept. His strategy—as he said at his January 14 press conference—has been to reduce the Republicans’ options to a stark binary pair: “They can act responsibly and pay America’s bills or they can act irresponsibly and put America through another economic crisis.” Or, in other words: They can blow up the credit of the United States—or they can yield. That’s the choice, there’s nothing else on the menu…
A government shutdown would end disastrously for the congressional GOP. Which is precisely why Obama is goading the Republicans to do it. In the words of Club for Growth president Chris Chocola: “They [Republican House members] think this is the only way to get Obama’s attention.” That, of course, is just what President Obama wants them to think—so they’ll do just what President Obama wants them to do. What he wants is not a deal—not anymore, or anyway, not now. What he wants is a reckless Republican over-reach, leading to public outrage, leading to a Republican rout. The President has been often quoted as saying he wants to “break the fever.” Translated into plainer English: He wants to break his opponents.
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Too late – the GOP broke itself, years ago.
Pork-Chop on January 16, 2013 at 6:42 PM
Something else the Frumster has in common with the obamanation…
Gohawgs on January 16, 2013 at 6:43 PM
Just stop the moochers’ pork, and you’ll have enough money.
OldEnglish on January 16, 2013 at 6:46 PM
Why not vote “present”?
Put out a statement that says … “We oppose this, but people tell us the consequences of not raising the ceiling would be catastrophic even though we think that raising it would eventually be apocalyptic. Well, now we’re going to see who’s correct.”
HondaV65 on January 16, 2013 at 6:47 PM
I hope he succeeds. The GOP as a vehicle for conservatism is dead. It deserves to be crushed and I don’t particularly care who the Angel of Death happens to be.
Armin Tamzarian on January 16, 2013 at 6:48 PM
Frum has no problem with that.
NeoKong on January 16, 2013 at 6:49 PM
A government shutdown would be devastating to the DC area economy, but would benefit the rest of the country greatly.
Count to 10 on January 16, 2013 at 6:50 PM
How does one go about breaking something that’s already been broken for a while?
dczombie on January 16, 2013 at 6:51 PM
I’m late to the party but I concur.
Dr. Frank Enstine on January 16, 2013 at 6:51 PM
For conservatism to be reborn, the GOP must be crushed – from within!
OldEnglish on January 16, 2013 at 6:52 PM
Um, wasn’t it just a little over two years ago that the dems took a shellacking from the GOP?
guido911 on January 16, 2013 at 6:56 PM
Obama won by how much? 1%?
albill on January 16, 2013 at 7:01 PM
Ummm.. Now Frum can get back to telling us about the glories of a Chris Christie or Jon Huntsman Presidency.
Illinidiva on January 16, 2013 at 7:02 PM
Many here don’t care. They are very, very special True Conservatives, who exist on a higher plane than mere mortals, especially the “elitist” and “establishment” Republican Party.
Of course they also hate Obama, which raises the question of how exactly we are supposed to push back against the arrogant little dictator. Politically and practically speaking, that is.
But politics and practicality are not the forte of the TruCons, who are still celebrating the fact that the Republican nominee lost, the guy that “the establishment” supposedly picked. Nevermind all those primary voters.
Rudy Guiliani is telling the Republicans to do what they think is best for the country and take the public opinion hit. He says that once people see things improving, they will change their minds about the Party, and that was his personal experience in NYC.
But, hey, he’s just another stupid RINO.
Meredith on January 16, 2013 at 7:11 PM
Indeed.
And the GOP leader-fossils still haven’t forgiven Sarah Palin for it.
viking01 on January 16, 2013 at 7:14 PM
You’re why I left the party.
trigon on January 16, 2013 at 7:15 PM
And you’re just another stupid.
davidk on January 16, 2013 at 7:18 PM
Things that will break the GOP: David Frum giving the keynote at the 2016 GOP convention; “President” Jon Huntsman
Things that will never break the GOP: Barack Obama
Robert_Paulson on January 16, 2013 at 7:19 PM
Folks like you are why I left the GOP.
You understand by using that trucon crap, you’re as much saying your Conservative brand is better. So, you’re the really true trucon I guess.
smoothsailing on January 16, 2013 at 7:23 PM
He’s right. The real goal is and always has been to “destroy the GOP”. And the GOP is doing everything they can to expedite their own demise. Good riddance. Let it all burn.
gaius on January 16, 2013 at 7:24 PM
Frum. Broken clock… twice/day.
petefrt on January 16, 2013 at 7:29 PM
Ummm.. What does this have to do with Rudy Giuliani? That is David Frum’s article. I didn’t see any Rudy Giuliani in there.
Not a “True Con” honey, but I have some limits. For instance, I will not be voting for either Huntsman or Christie if hell freezes over and either is the Republican nominee. Both are jerks masquerading as moderate Republicans. Please tell me why this is an awful stance?
Illinidiva on January 16, 2013 at 7:33 PM
In other news, the Pope is still Catholic.
sauldalinsky on January 16, 2013 at 7:33 PM
If Giuliani is saying Republicans should act according to their consciences and not out of fear that voters won’t appreciate their motives, it’s hard to disagree. They might as well risk oblivion from conviction as be consigned to it anyway for cowardice.
If they go for door #3 and just lie down and play dead, that’s takng a risk too.
Is that what he’s saying?
Seth Halpern on January 16, 2013 at 7:34 PM
President “Krispy Kreme” will also break the GOP (and probably most of the country).
Illinidiva on January 16, 2013 at 7:34 PM
This is true imo.
All this..ALL this, that we are now fighting with an “Obama Unchained” 2nd term, would not exist without self righteous assholes sitting out the election.
There is zero chance of them admitting this fact.
Mimzey on January 16, 2013 at 7:38 PM
Of course you’re right.
Good luck having anyone admit it.
For a person to try to convince someone that what we are now facing with a second term of “Obama Unhinged” would be exactly the obstacles that America would be facing if Romney were POTUS, can only exist in the minds of useful idiots of a different stripe.
Brietbart was right.
Mimzey on January 16, 2013 at 7:47 PM
Frum stealing years old thoughts. Pathetic.
Bmore on January 16, 2013 at 8:07 PM
What the heII is a TruCon. Where are they kept?
Bmore on January 16, 2013 at 8:09 PM
Or to put it more simply: POWER. That’s pure Alinsky. Get power. As much power as possible. Breaking the GOP is a means to that end.
The Rogue Tomato on January 16, 2013 at 8:13 PM
..
Dire Straits on January 16, 2013 at 8:15 PM
There is no need for any deals. Refusing to lift the debt ceiling will result in sending cuts. The GOP IMO had the upper hand.
Charlemagne on January 16, 2013 at 8:17 PM
I’m pretty sure I can count the number of TruCons around here who are happy with Romney’s loss on one hand.
That seems contradictory. Doing what we think is best for the country is putting the brakes on the spending by any means necessary, right? Or, is what he’s saying we should feel right in letting Obama leave office with us $20T in the hole?
The Count on January 16, 2013 at 8:25 PM
No, 4%.
http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php
cam2 on January 16, 2013 at 8:42 PM
That’s one way to look at it. Another way is about 4 large college football stadiums across 4 states, give or take.
The Count on January 16, 2013 at 8:54 PM
He won by “cheating in key districts in swing states”%.
The Rogue Tomato on January 16, 2013 at 10:44 PM