Just four days ago I was optimistic that Obama and Boehner were going to be able to negotiate a compromise on the budget and raise the debt limit while simultaneously putting the nation on sound fiscal footing through a combination of spending cuts and new taxes. Silly, naive me.
I had forgotten, as the president put it, that in American politics "folks are rewarded for saying irresponsible things." Obama is talking, of course, about the Tea Party, the group of radicals yanking Boehner's leash. Rather than accepting a compromise in which they would get four trillion in spending cuts for roughly a trillion in new revenues. Sensible people recognize that this is an excellent deal and Republicans would be fools not to take it. They will suffer for this politically when the time comes, which of course is an appealing prospect, but it's not worth the crisis that America will have to endure if these idiots get their way. Unfortunately for our great nation, the far right isn't interested in compromise. A four to one ratio? Scoff, come back when you've given us everything we want and asked for nothing in return. That wouldn't be realistic even if the Tea Party had good ideas, but they don't they have horrible ideas. Ideas that could potentially bankrupt America. And now they've pulled the entire Republican party into this trap. Republican presidential candidates are balking at compromise, and as a result of all the pressure, Boehner has retreated.
And so where there was sunshine in America's financial future just days ago, now there are clouds. And so now is the time for the president to take the offensive. Perhaps his advisors are telling him that taking this aloof, holy high-ground is good for his chances of reelection, but it is time for Americans to know the drunk. It is time to debunk the myth that taxing the super rich will harm the economy. It is time to explain to America that the problem with the economy isn't spending, it's unemployment. If we put people back to work they will start buying, if they start buying companies will start to produce more and hire more. There is no demand, so there is no need for supply. There will be a time for cutting, but by fixing the economy, we will go a long way towards fixing the deficit. By fixing the deficit now we will in all likelihood destroy the economy.
If the Tea Party gets its way there will be no deal on the debt ceiling and America will default. If America defaults the economy will tank. If the economy tanks, maybe people will blame the president. This is the only reason to vote against raising the debt limit. By refusing to accept a compromise that includes 4 trillion dollars worth of spending cuts in exchange for 1 trillion in new revenue, Republicans will fully expose themselves as the ideological hypocrites they are. All this posturing about fixing the economy and they've been made an offer they can't refuse, but they are refusing it, and if Boehner can't shake the Tea Party's yoke, then all of America will suffer as a result.
Good luck Mr. President. I hope you can use the communication skills you employed so successfully during your campaign to show Americans how bad a Tea Party future will be.
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