Post “embrace the suck” budget, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) hinted yesterday at a big fight coming with the debt ceiling, saying he can’t imagine that the debt ceiling increase will be a “clean” one.
Republicans see the budget deal as a win for them that gives them more leverage, not less.
To wit – Republican whisperer Robert Costa (who will be reporting for the Washington Post starting in 2014) tweeted that the upcoming debt ceiling limit could get “wild” because Mitch McConnell needs to get his hands on entitlement reform:
As Ryan moved toward a small deal on budget, McConnell was eyeing a larger deal, deal w/ entm ref for seq. Didn't want to buckle on $967b
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 18, 2013
and in casual convos, some Sen GOPers even speculate O may be more than willing to deal on energy, spending if Ocare probs continue
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 18, 2013
For now, tho, it seems to all be about time. It's only mid Dec, shutdown is off table, and DL not until Feb, leaving 2+ mo's to negotiate
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 18, 2013
Yes, Republicans think that for giving a bit on their sequestration cuts, which in and of themselves were dirty pool, they now get entitlement reforms. For their suck budget, they want everything! Everything Mommy and Daddy. EVERYTHING. NOW. Or else the country gets it again!
Of course, if Republicans were really going after “entitlements”, the country would cheer. It would be great to see the oil companies thrown off the dole, along with WalMart and the other free market losers who insist on stealing money made by actual citizens just so they can pad their profit margins.
But when Republicans say “entitlements” they mean the things that the American citizens work for and pay into, like Social Security and unemployment. Those are “entitlements” of which you are supposed to feel ashamed, while the oil companies are “entitled” to your money because they are a corporation. There’s no shame in being a greedy blood sucker giving nothing back to your country in the GOP. In fact, it’s apsirational.
When you hear people claiming that Obama is going to give on energy and spending, remember that in the above tweet, Costa said Republicans think that. I shouldn’t have to remind you of the folly that lay in putting stake in what Republicans “think” is going to happen (see Ohio, 2012, unskewed polls, etc) or claim has already happened (see Jonathan Karl or Lara Logan).
Republicans are smoking more of their Obama hate crack if they think that “problems with Ocare” — like their bizarrely juvenile attempts to Breitbart the navigators — is going to make Obama willing to “deal” with them. You see, these dramas exist only on Fox News and in Darrell Issa’s carefully constructed traveling circus act.
Did Republicans see the concessions Democrats gave them? No. They moved the goal post to the right, pummeled Democrats in the press over ginned up controversy regarding the ObamaCare website, and used that phony leverage to drive Democrats into a bad deal just so Dems could save the country from Republicans bitter jihad against everyone who didn’t vote for them, collateral damage be damned.
Republicans are like any sociopath — the more they get the more they want and they never stop pushing, demanding, taking, stealing, blaming, conniving, and plotting. If you think you can find common ground, just know that you are the prey/victim and you are not playing the same game so you will lose.
There is no point in trying to appease Republicans or compromise with them, unless it’s an election year.
Mitch McConnell wants to fight for “entitlement reforms” in an election year because he’s afraid of his Democratic challenger Alison Grimes. He needs to win the support of the conservative base and get them motivated to vote. But he has to walk a fine line as he guns for Social Security in the debt ceiling fight, banking on short term memories.
Wait until Mitch McConnell wins his primary and has to walk back his big tough guy words about Social Security. In fact, the ads already began before he came out guns half cocked. In late October, a Democratic group began running an ad against McConnell in Kentucky over the GOP shutdown:
“$24 Billion Dollars…up in smoke. Washington at its worst. And now? Mitch McConnell and the Tea Party in Washington are demanding painful cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Kentucky seniors could pay $6,000 more a year. Cutting Social Security and Medicare may be Mitch McConnell’s plan. Tell him, its not yours!”
Oh, yes, 2014 is going to be entertaining.
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