Lessons the Republicans Must Learn

You might believe Obama is a sorry choice for America.  But, you've got to respect his political acumen.  While you're at it, 'fess up that the Republican's made an astounding number of rookie errors.

Obama as a neighborhood organizer and, metaphysically speaking, learned politics at the foot of his late, great mentor, Saul Alinsky.  Of course Obama wasn't the only one.  Without probably ever having heard of Alinsky, Huey Long used pretty much the same techniques.  The people loved him too.

What is America's biggest problem?  It's our woeful financial state of affairs.  So, what were the Republicans doing getting into the women's rights squabble.  Why did they get involved with people who speak to God and who insist that every fetus is holy.  Leave that to the states.  Ditto millionaires and billionaires.  Far fewer people are "haves" than "have nots."  That's just the way it is even in socialist states.  So why argue.  Republicans should have stressed that they were fighting for the middle class instead of giving this argument to the Democrats.  The millionaires and billionaires have lawyers who will find loop holes for them.  The middle class by and large doesn't.  Then too there was the stupidity in the Republican position on Latinos.

But, that's all history.  Today, it's gun control, an issue brought forth more strongly than perhaps ever before in our history by the tragic killing of those little kids in Connecticut.  Do Republicans really want to be associated with the NRA?  We know many Americans love guns.  The Republicans should say, "let them have them."  But to support Americans rights to guns doesn't mean being irresponsible.  Weapons for hunting -- great.  Assault weapons -- no.  Registration -- yes.  Loop holes when sales are made by private individuals -- no.  Is this really so hard?

Paul Ryan made a truly heroic effort to get the U.S. back on its fiscal tracks when he offered a budget proposal in the House.  Then there was the Simpson-Bowles recommendations (one of the two a Republican, the other a Democrat).  This is the issue the Republicans should have pursued single-mindedly.  This is what America needs so desperately.  If Obama had the interest of America as his first priority, he'd be trying to get this done.  But, he doesn't, so it's up to the Republicans to pull up their socks and start acting smarter.  America depends on you

Debt Ceiling Versus The Late Financial Cliff

Here we go again.  Or, do we?  In raw political terms Republicans had to vote for the recent bill put forth by the Democratic Senate.  Had they not done so, taxes would have gone up on all tax payers.  Also, spending would have been cut through an across-the-board spending cut -- the very worst way of reducing spending.  Despite Donald Trump's yammering, it would have been awful for the country and for the Republicans.   For the country, because it would have made a horrible situation, even more horrible.  And, for the Republicans, because they would have been blamed for the tax increases.  Obama had the upper hand because, quite simply, he doesn't give a damn about the impending bankruptcy of the U.S.

However, failure to raise the debt ceiling presents the Republicans with a very different situation.  If the Democrats fail to offer a bill that offers a reduction in spending that will reverse the current trend, the Republicans can simply refuse to raise the debt ceiling.

Would this have negative consequences?  Absolutely.  America's credit rating would be downgraded.  This would inevitably result in an increase in interest rates.  It would also result in a decline in federal services;  e.g. it might take twice as long to get a passport renewed.  But, the effects -- in some cases fairly serious would be indirect.  Would many blame the Republicans?  Some, yes.  But, many have come to see the president for who he is -- a man who does his best not to compromise even if it is for the common good.

One more point:  If we don't get our fiscal house in order and reduce spending, America's credit will soon get pummeled anyway.  It would be best to take the credit downgrade now rather than later.  Putting it off will only make it worse when we finally, and inevitably, come to the point where we have to come to grips with our inability to pay for our many entitlements.

Fiscal Cliff Or The Father's Dilemma

The reader understands that we're dealing with metaphors.  The "fiscal cliff" has nothing to do with a geological outcropping.  Likewise, the ethical choice facing a father who must choose between his wife and his 10-year old daughter serves as a useful metaphor in describing the choice Congressional Republicans faced when they cast their vote for, or against, the fiscal bill that to be voted on before the end of 2012.

(The "father's dilemma" refers to an ethical exercise where a father sees his wife drowning and then also sees his daughter drowning.  He realizes that because one is far to the left and the other far to the right, he can only reach one in time to save that person's life.  The other will drown.)

The pundits will describe the situation of the Republicans as follows:  Obama out-foxed the Republicans.  He set up a situation where, if they had not voted for his plan -- one with little or no modification -- they would have been accused of destroying the American economy.  This was clear to the Republicans.  However, they also knew that voting for the bill would do nothing to stem America's hemorrhaging debts.  The bill addressed taxes, but left the larger problem; namely, runaway spending in as bad a state as it had ever been.  They could vote for, or against, this bill, but , either way, it would do nothing to alleviate America's mushrooming indebtedness.

For the Democrats, America's debt crisis seems not to be a problem.  Kicking the problem down the road works for them just fine.  By the time the problem became truly unmanageable, Obama will be  out of office as will be most Democratic Congressmen.

The next opportunity that will present itself to the Republicans will be when the debt ceiling has to be raised.  Here the options will be simpler.  If the Republicans don't agree to a debt ceiling increase, the U.S. may well default on some of its obligations.  That wouldn't be good.  Indeed, it would most likely impair America's credit rating.  But, if debt, as a percentage of GDP, continues to spiral upward, it's just a matter of time before our credit rating becomes impaired anyway.  And, if it were to happen now, it would give us more time to remedy the situation than if it happened later.  If you question this, go ask Spain, or Italy, or Greece.

This fiscal crisis lays clearly on Obama's doorstep.  It's not the Democratic congressmen and the Republican congressmen who can't work things out.  It's Obama's my-way-or-the-highway attitude that's brought us to this sad state.  Can you imagine LBJ, or Reagan, or FDR not working with the opposition in Congress?  The only thing we seem to have learned from this is that Obama has made Joe Biden look really, really good