GOP resolve on sequester begins to crack

GOP resolve on sequester begins to crack
Posted by Greg Sargent on February 7, 2013 at 9:11 am


There’s been a good deal of chatter to the effect that Republicans still retain leverage in the sequester fight, because some of them are willing to let the sequester happen. But Politico reports that GOP resolve is cracking, with GOPers privately conceding that they’d prefer to reach a deal, because the politics of allowing deep spending cuts, a gutting of defense, and a major hit to the economy are too dangerous.

Of course, GOP aides continue to say they want a deal, but only on their terms — which is to say, they’ll only accept a deal that averts the sequester through spending cuts alone, with no new revenues.

Herein lies the fundamental weakness of the GOP position. The problem is that Republicans who care about defense are now on record claiming the sequester will threaten our national security. As Lindsey Graham put it yesterday: “I’m sure Iran is very supportive of sequestration.”

Which raises a question: If the sequester will help our enemies, and put the country at risk, shouldn’t Republicans be willing to discuss closing tax loopholes that benefit the rich and corporations — the same loopholes they were previously willing to entertain closing — to avoid it?

Senate Democrats are drawing up a plan to avert the sequester by limiting tax breaks for oil and gas exploration, nixing tax breaks for private equity employees who pay a lower capital gains tax, and other measures. The idea is to put pressure on Republicans to choose between protecting tax breaks for special interests on one side, and gutting defense and tanking the economy on the other.


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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/02/07/the-morning-plum-gop-resolve-on-sequester-begins-to-crack/