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Wonkbook: Five reasons Republicans lost — and one reason they won
Wonkbook: Five reasons Republicans lost — and one reason they won
By Ezra Klein and Evan Soltas
Our not-that-long national nightmare is finally over. Last night, the House and Senate passed, and President Obama signed, a bill ending the shutdown. And for Republicans, this has been an utter disaster -- although there's one bright spot.
1) Republicans got nothing<...>
2) The GOP's Obamacare boomerang<...>
3) The Republican Party is horribly unpopular<...>
4) The Republican Party devalued hostage taking.<...>
5) They split their party. The shutdown began with a schism. Republican leaders thought Sen. Ted Cruz's defund-and-shutdown strategy was lunacy. They tried everything they could think of to get out of it. They failed. And so the shutdown began with top Republicans, and perhaps most Republicans, opposed to the strategy. It ended with a wide swath of Republicans furious at their more confrontational brethren for leading them into this disaster. The party is as split as it's been in memory.
But there's one silver lining for Republicans: They held their spending number. Even though Democrats won the 2012 election, Republicans have managed to keep sequestration's spending levels. The CR Democrats agreed to before the shutdown, and the CR they agreed to in order to end the shutdown, both keep spending far below what Democrats think is necessary.
By making this about Obamacare and the legitimacy of hostage taking as a routine political strategy, the GOP lost terribly. But in terms of what fights over bills to fund the government are supposed to be about -- spending -- Republicans didn't give an inch. Sequestration is still there, and it still gives Republicans real leverage in the coming budget negotiations with Democrats.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/17/wonkbook-five-reasons-republicans-lost-and-one-reason-they-won/
By Ezra Klein and Evan Soltas
Our not-that-long national nightmare is finally over. Last night, the House and Senate passed, and President Obama signed, a bill ending the shutdown. And for Republicans, this has been an utter disaster -- although there's one bright spot.
1) Republicans got nothing<...>
2) The GOP's Obamacare boomerang<...>
3) The Republican Party is horribly unpopular<...>
4) The Republican Party devalued hostage taking.<...>
5) They split their party. The shutdown began with a schism. Republican leaders thought Sen. Ted Cruz's defund-and-shutdown strategy was lunacy. They tried everything they could think of to get out of it. They failed. And so the shutdown began with top Republicans, and perhaps most Republicans, opposed to the strategy. It ended with a wide swath of Republicans furious at their more confrontational brethren for leading them into this disaster. The party is as split as it's been in memory.
But there's one silver lining for Republicans: They held their spending number. Even though Democrats won the 2012 election, Republicans have managed to keep sequestration's spending levels. The CR Democrats agreed to before the shutdown, and the CR they agreed to in order to end the shutdown, both keep spending far below what Democrats think is necessary.
By making this about Obamacare and the legitimacy of hostage taking as a routine political strategy, the GOP lost terribly. But in terms of what fights over bills to fund the government are supposed to be about -- spending -- Republicans didn't give an inch. Sequestration is still there, and it still gives Republicans real leverage in the coming budget negotiations with Democrats.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/17/wonkbook-five-reasons-republicans-lost-and-one-reason-they-won/
Yup, Republicans got their butts kicked. Still, the "silver lining" is overhyped. Sequestration is not sufficient leverage, which is why Republicans took the Government and economy as hostages. Clearly, Republicans would be fools to attempt anything like this again, and they couldn't do so simply by blocking attempts to end sequestration. Reposting this (http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023842041) to make the point:
Think about what the Republicans are doing here. They have nothing, no leverage, so they decide to take the U.S. economy hostage to get what they want.
Dear GOP: When just 15 percent of the country agrees with you, you don't have political leverage
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/11/1246088/-Dear-GOP-When-just-15-percent-of-the-country-agrees-with-you-you-don-t-have-political-leverage
Back in April, the Senate passed a budget that ends sequestration. Senator Warren talks about it here.
This piece is from July 1:
Republican Obstruction Of Budget Process Hits 100th Day
By Alan Pyke
Monday marks 100 days since the Senate passed a budget amid bipartisan praise of the open process. But initial Republican eagerness to work on a budget has given way to the obstructionism that’s defined the Senate minority under Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Over the past hundred days, Republicans have blocked 15 separate attempts to go to a budget conference with the House of Representatives. Now that the House and Senate have passed their own versions, each is supposed to appoint representatives to a committee that reconciles them into one bill that can be passed by each body and signed by the president.
The handful of Republicans who are blocking a conference on the 2014 budget cite a variety of reasons, including fears that the conference agreement would include a deal preventing another debt ceiling crisis. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have insisted that the conferees be barred from addressing the debt ceiling, which needs to be increased by this fall to avoid a catastrophic default on U.S. obligations. McConnell, who has praised the use of the debt ceiling as a pressure point for extracting spending cuts despite the tactic’s negative impact on the nation’s credit rating, is one of many prominent Republicans who demanded “regular order” on the budget. In January, he called for a speedy budget conference because “that’s how things are supposed to work around here.”
Yet McConnell has joined the Cruz/Paul/Rubio wing of his caucus in blocking progress on the budget over the past 100 days. Spokespeople for the Republican Senate leader did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Monday, but by joining with members like Paul he’s wrapped his arms around the obstructionists’ spin. According to a sign Paul’s staff whipped up for a May floor speech, they’re “Preventing A Back Room Deal To Raise The Debt Limit” and counting the days without budget conferees as a mounting victory.
- more -
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/07/01/2241941/republican-obstruction-of-budget-process-hits-100th-day/
By Alan Pyke
Monday marks 100 days since the Senate passed a budget amid bipartisan praise of the open process. But initial Republican eagerness to work on a budget has given way to the obstructionism that’s defined the Senate minority under Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Over the past hundred days, Republicans have blocked 15 separate attempts to go to a budget conference with the House of Representatives. Now that the House and Senate have passed their own versions, each is supposed to appoint representatives to a committee that reconciles them into one bill that can be passed by each body and signed by the president.
The handful of Republicans who are blocking a conference on the 2014 budget cite a variety of reasons, including fears that the conference agreement would include a deal preventing another debt ceiling crisis. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have insisted that the conferees be barred from addressing the debt ceiling, which needs to be increased by this fall to avoid a catastrophic default on U.S. obligations. McConnell, who has praised the use of the debt ceiling as a pressure point for extracting spending cuts despite the tactic’s negative impact on the nation’s credit rating, is one of many prominent Republicans who demanded “regular order” on the budget. In January, he called for a speedy budget conference because “that’s how things are supposed to work around here.”
Yet McConnell has joined the Cruz/Paul/Rubio wing of his caucus in blocking progress on the budget over the past 100 days. Spokespeople for the Republican Senate leader did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Monday, but by joining with members like Paul he’s wrapped his arms around the obstructionists’ spin. According to a sign Paul’s staff whipped up for a May floor speech, they’re “Preventing A Back Room Deal To Raise The Debt Limit” and counting the days without budget conferees as a mounting victory.
- more -
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/07/01/2241941/republican-obstruction-of-budget-process-hits-100th-day/
That budget includes $100 billion in infrastructure spending.
<...>
The budget includes $100 billion of immediate infrastructure spending designed to boost the economy and raise $975 billion over the next decade through tax reform, which would eliminate various loopholes and tax expenditures.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/senate-passes-budget-after-all-night-debate.php
The budget includes $100 billion of immediate infrastructure spending designed to boost the economy and raise $975 billion over the next decade through tax reform, which would eliminate various loopholes and tax expenditures.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/senate-passes-budget-after-all-night-debate.php
<...>
This budget replaces sequestration responsibly and invests in job creation to help families and the economy right away. It tackles our growing national deficits in education, infrastructure, and innovation to make sure we are laying down a strong foundation for broad-based economic growth for years to come. And it absolutely rejects a return to the failed trickle-down economic policies that devastated the middle class and led us to the Great Recession.
http://www.budget.senate.gov/democratic/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=85472b9c-d850-41bd-91df-94a68aa5d5ff
This budget replaces sequestration responsibly and invests in job creation to help families and the economy right away. It tackles our growing national deficits in education, infrastructure, and innovation to make sure we are laying down a strong foundation for broad-based economic growth for years to come. And it absolutely rejects a return to the failed trickle-down economic policies that devastated the middle class and led us to the Great Recession.
http://www.budget.senate.gov/democratic/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=85472b9c-d850-41bd-91df-94a68aa5d5ff
The American people are sick and tired of watching their government lurch from crisis to crisis. The Senate Budget offers a serious and credible path away from this gridlock and dysfunction and toward a long-term plan to create jobs, lay down a strong foundation for broad-based economic growth, replace sequestration, and tackle our deficit and debt responsibly and credibly.
http://www.budget.senate.gov/democratic/index.cfm/senatebudget
http://www.budget.senate.gov/democratic/index.cfm/senatebudget
The Senate passed its budget 200 plus days ago. Republicans couldn't get their way so they decided to reject going to conference for several months.
McConnell Objects To Initiating Budget Conference Negotiations
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) objected Tuesday to Sen. Patty Murray's (D-WA) request to begin House-Senate conference negotiations to resolve the differences between the two budgets the chambers passed.
McConnell objected because Murray declined to pre-set ground rules that the outcome of the negotiations not raise taxes or lift the debt ceiling. In other words, McConnell and Republians want to establish the rules in advance so that they can't lose the debate.
The move comes one day after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) objected to the same request by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) -- for the same reason.
The budget disagreements are so big that leaders privately recognize the practical impossibility of coming to an agreement. Instead, Democrats are hammering the issue because their budget policies perform better in the polls and they want to put the screws to Republicans on their demands of passing a budget through "regular order."
- more -
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mcconnell-objects-to-initiating-budget-conference-negotiations
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) objected Tuesday to Sen. Patty Murray's (D-WA) request to begin House-Senate conference negotiations to resolve the differences between the two budgets the chambers passed.
McConnell objected because Murray declined to pre-set ground rules that the outcome of the negotiations not raise taxes or lift the debt ceiling. In other words, McConnell and Republians want to establish the rules in advance so that they can't lose the debate.
The move comes one day after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) objected to the same request by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) -- for the same reason.
The budget disagreements are so big that leaders privately recognize the practical impossibility of coming to an agreement. Instead, Democrats are hammering the issue because their budget policies perform better in the polls and they want to put the screws to Republicans on their demands of passing a budget through "regular order."
- more -
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mcconnell-objects-to-initiating-budget-conference-negotiations
How to break the budget process
By Steve Benen
For about three years, congressional Republicans had a talking point they were quite fond of: they wanted Congress to pass a budget through "regular order," but Senate Democrats have made that impossible by failing to pass a budget....First, let's back up and explain what "regular order" is. The budget process is supposed to follow a certain trajectory: the House approves its budget blueprint, then the Senate does the same, and a conference committee featuring members from both chambers get together to work out the differences...And it's this "regular order" that Republicans insisted they liked. It was a perfectly defensible position so long as GOP leaders assumed Senate Democrats wouldn't actually pass a budget, but then a funny thing happened: Senate Democrats actually passed a budget...At which point Republicans dropped their talking points and said they now want the exact opposite...It's quickly becoming farcical.
"Different things" is a curious phrase for Politico to use. What Republicans are now seeking is some kind of pre-negotiations negotiations in which Democrats accept parameters of budget talks before there are actual budget talks...Paul Ryan and his allies are telling Dems, "Accept the terms of our talks beforehand, or we won't talk at all."...keep in mind what Republicans said was their top priority: an open and transparent budget process through regular order, without special deals negotiated in secret. Republicans are instead now saying they want a closed budget process that abandons regular order, and which is reliant solely on deals negotiated in secret.
The ridicule from New York Times' editorial board is well justified.
All of this was based on an assumption: Senate Dems wouldn't get their act together and pass a budget. There was, apparently, no Plan B -- Republicans simply never considered what they might do if the Senate completed this task...It's reached the point at which House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is mocking Boehner and GOP leaders in YouTube videos.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/06/18085260-how-to-break-the-budget-process
By Steve Benen
For about three years, congressional Republicans had a talking point they were quite fond of: they wanted Congress to pass a budget through "regular order," but Senate Democrats have made that impossible by failing to pass a budget....First, let's back up and explain what "regular order" is. The budget process is supposed to follow a certain trajectory: the House approves its budget blueprint, then the Senate does the same, and a conference committee featuring members from both chambers get together to work out the differences...And it's this "regular order" that Republicans insisted they liked. It was a perfectly defensible position so long as GOP leaders assumed Senate Democrats wouldn't actually pass a budget, but then a funny thing happened: Senate Democrats actually passed a budget...At which point Republicans dropped their talking points and said they now want the exact opposite...It's quickly becoming farcical.
House and Senate negotiators have reached an impasse over how to move forward on their respective budget proposals -- making any chance of a compromise budget deal to slash the deficit less likely.
The prospects that Budget Committee Chairs Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) could reach a deal to hold a budget conference committee are dimming as each side is pushing for different things before a conference can even begin.
"Different things" is a curious phrase for Politico to use. What Republicans are now seeking is some kind of pre-negotiations negotiations in which Democrats accept parameters of budget talks before there are actual budget talks...Paul Ryan and his allies are telling Dems, "Accept the terms of our talks beforehand, or we won't talk at all."...keep in mind what Republicans said was their top priority: an open and transparent budget process through regular order, without special deals negotiated in secret. Republicans are instead now saying they want a closed budget process that abandons regular order, and which is reliant solely on deals negotiated in secret.
The ridicule from New York Times' editorial board is well justified.
A few days ago, when Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, tried to appoint members of a conference committee, Republicans refused to allow it, saying it would cause "complications for the House." As Senator Jeff Sessions, the leading Republican on the Budget Committee, explained it, "We haven't been able to have any understanding on how this conference might work."
In fact, Republicans know exactly how it would work: they would have to compromise. The Senate would have to agree to some of the House's spending cuts, and the House would have to agree to some of the Senate's spending increases and the tax increases on the rich to pay for them. As the country has learned in recent years, House Republicans are incapable of compromise on those issues.
Being intransigent in a formal budget conference, however, would put Republicans in a bind. The public would be able to see that Democrats were offering billions in spending cuts while Republicans were offering nothing. And if a conference did not produce an agreement in 20 days, members could offer "motions to instruct" the committee that required debate and a vote, which the speaker could not use his usual powers to stop. That, too, could cause embarrassment for the Republican leadership, as Democrats and Tea Party members offered a series of motions that would demonstrate how incoherent the Republican agenda truly was.
All of this was based on an assumption: Senate Dems wouldn't get their act together and pass a budget. There was, apparently, no Plan B -- Republicans simply never considered what they might do if the Senate completed this task...It's reached the point at which House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is mocking Boehner and GOP leaders in YouTube videos.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/06/18085260-how-to-break-the-budget-process
This was the Republicans' grand strategy: Reject conference, wait it out, and then hold the U.S. government and economy hostage in exchange for their demands.
Republican ransom note: Give us what we want (at the expense of the most vulnerable Americans) or we'll blow up the economy.
By cutting aid to the poor and seniors, blocking a minimum-wage increase, blocking a jobs bill and infrastructure funding, trying to gut the EPA, voting to repeal Obamacare and shutting down the government, Republicans are proving that they are callous assholes who don't give a damn about making people's lives better. In fact, their actions prove that they don't care if you die.
Senator Bernie Sanders: “How many people will die if the Affordable Care Act is repealed?”http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023835481
The road not taken (Republicans have been holding the economy hostage for years)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023744622
The Complete Guide To The GOP’s Three-Year Campaign To Shut Down The Government
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023744676
In the midst of crises, chaos grips Congress
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023841659
Not saying Republicans aren't going to try to find a way to continue screwing over Americans who aren't wealthy, but as with this hostage-taking episode, the effects on people's lives should be loudly and visibly pointed out. A party whose sole purpose is to screw Americans shouldn't be considered as having "leverage." They should be considered economic terrorists or at the very least predators.
People need to be made aware that the Senate budget passed, that it ends the sequestration, and it's being blocked by Republicans.
Don't give the Republicans assholes an inch.
Wow...Obama actually made Reid kill the Susan Collins deal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023869728
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