Terms of surrender

President Obama is pushing Republicans hard on tax rises for the rich

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It's hard to have sympathy for the GOP. Years of messaging, "don't pay for things... it will help the economy!" Moral righteousness about personal responsibility, the virtues of deregulation and how markets are always right (hello financial crisis). Flag waving and anti-government rhetoric (while profiteering via defense contracts). Obstructionism for obstructionism's sake. Phoney deficit hysteria. Red-state astroturfing by big money- rolling up state legislatures and governorships with a resulting gerrymanders to keep the House Red (still in full swing).

It's also a mistake to think of this as capitulation. Really, the Republicans need to get their act together and offer credible policy- it would be welcome. But you can never underestimate the extent and breadth of the Redness out there. The last 30-some years of GOP ideology may have been a disaster, but the effects and influence- culturally, economically, politically and in policy linger on. Indeed, Obama is no leftist; he's right of center, kind of like an old liberal republican- so even if this particular round does not go hunky dory for the GOP, they still have long-term gains- taxes are low (historically, and relative to the rest of the world); regulation is constrained; the uber wealthy have got the best of the last 10 years and retain extensive political influence. In a country that arguably needs a new New Deal for the health and welfare of the populace, the GOP has managed to contain change to rather small increments, on terms it helped to create. Not quite Waterloo by any stretch of the imagination.



Duckdawdger in reply to hTePFs67YE

And never let anyone forget who are the real makers and takers. It was the last Republican presidency that "made" the war in Iraq and private contracters that "took" the spoils with the biggest taker being Dick Cheney's Halliburton. And while we are on that subject, how many of the people paying $50,000 for that dinner where Mitt made his infamous 47% comment get their money from government largesse as defense contracters, private health insurance providers, bailed out bank executives, etc. It would be so much more important for America if the 1% could take personal responsibility for their greed than the 47% for their survival







Look at the polls. Reasonable people are finally on to the Republicans. This ought to have happened much sooner, but Obama's political incompetence blossomed in 2010. If Obama had fought then as he has in 2012, we wouldn't have to put up with so many ideological jerks in Congress and the State Houses. You *never* let your opponents define your programs unchallenged. It was especially inexcusable that he didn't neutralize the attacks on the health insurance mandate by invoking the free-rider problem. Everyone understands that.







Joe Marlowe

That could mean many things.
For thirty years the Republicans have been the party of nonsense.
None of that can happen with the current US Supreme Court.
Terms of surrender?
How about this:

Medicine4theDead in reply to uterra


Paul Marks










Damn Dirty Ape








Otto Beckman in reply to uterra

Otto Beckman in reply to uterra.


These goals have not changed.

uterra in reply to Medicine4theDead


uterra in reply to Medicine4theDead






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