GOP Faces Real Choices...soon

[bluehenbillk]

http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/20/news/ec ... /index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The "do-nothing" GOP part of Congress is facing a big-time decision real soon as the "super committee" is almost a month away now from having to produce results that Congress approves or the DOD ain't gonna be happy.

And then there's John McCain:

Defense hawks are also up in arms. Sen. John McCain suggested last week that if the super committee fails to reach an agreement, Congress should nullify the Pentagon budget cuts.

"The Congress is not bound by this," McCain said. "It's something we passed. We can reverse it."

Yea, John, that'd be political suicide for the GOP & the Tea Party if they backed off the lowering government spending agenda they've been spewing for 2+ years now.

Time to get working boys, earn your paychecks, most of you will be getting voted out next November anyway - Campaign 469!!

[AZGrizFan]

This comment below the article says it all:

Dubbed "the trigger," defense cuts were supposed to force lawmakers to compromise on debt reduction,"

No, it was supposed to force Republicans to capitulate. Democrats would be more than happy to have defense cut by a trillion. show more show less

[bluehenbillk]

This comment below the article says it all:

Dubbed "the trigger," defense cuts were supposed to force lawmakers to compromise on debt reduction,"

No, it was supposed to force Republicans to capitulate. Democrats would be more than happy to have defense cut by a trillion. show more show less

Well you're half-right. If/when the super-committee fails 50% of the cuts would come from the DOD. The other 50% of the cuts, that you left out, would come from domestic/social/entitlement programs that were "supposed to force Democrats to capitulate". In other words if the 2 sides can't agree it's a lose-lose.

Time for all 535 to stop being spectators & start being legislators.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

with 25% of the budget coming from DoD - it stands to reason the biggest department would face the biggest cuts in that scenario... honestly, if the GOP were serious about any of what they've been saying, they'd 1. get their shit together and 2. start learning the word "compromise" - make some deals and not leave themselves open to an entire election year of being the party that "did nothing"

[JohnStOnge]

What's interesting to me is that this is presented as a situation in which the "GOP" faces real choices. The Democratic Party has a greater share of control of the national government at the moment. Seems to me that both Parties face some real choices. Actually the Country faces some real choices.

But it really has for some time. It's just been putting the hard decisions off. Sooner or later, it will have to make them.

BTW, if you're going to say it's a "do nothing" Congress because of Party disputes than both Parties share an equal share of the "blame."

Me, I'm not disappointed. It is good that the Congress "do nothing" while Obama is in charge because for the most part Obama wants to take the Country in the wrong direction. Thankfully Republicans have JUST enough power to at least resist.

[BlueHen86]

What's interesting to me is that this is presented as a situation in which the "GOP" faces real choices. The Democratic Party has a greater share of control of the national government at the moment. Seems to me that both Parties face some real choices. Actually the Country faces some real choices.

But it really has for some time. It's just been putting the hard decisions off. Sooner or later, it will have to make them.

BTW, if you're going to say it's a "do nothing" Congress because of Party disputes than both Parties share an equal share of the "blame."

Me, I'm not disappointed. It is good that the Congress "do nothing" while Obama is in charge because for the most part Obama wants to take the Country in the wrong direction. Thankfully Republicans have JUST enough power to at least resist.

Yeah, because the Republicans took the country in the right direction when they had power.

[JohnStOnge]

They came closer to it than Obama would. I'm talking about long term direction, not short term fluctuations in the economy.

But in my opinion neither major Party will take the counry in the right direction. It's just a question of which will take us more quickly and more directly in the wrong one. And in my opinion that's the Democratic Party.

So the Republicans are the brake. When they are in power it slows the degradation. That's the best I can hope for for now. Probably in my lifetime.

[BlueHen86]

They came closer to it than Obama would. I'm talking about long term direction, not short term fluctuations in the economy.

But in my opinion neither major Party will take the counry in the right direction. It's just a question of which will take us more quickly and more directly in the wrong one. And in my opinion that's the Democratic Party.

So the Republicans are the brake. When they are in power it slows the degradation. That's the best I can hope for for now. Probably in my lifetime.

Give either party too much control and they will screw up, we're better off with each party having some say.