GOP Splinters Over Hostage Strategy As Default Looms

[ProSense]

GOP Splinters Over Hostage Strategy As Default Looms

The GOP is splintering over its strategy to force conservative reforms by sustaining the government shutdown and threatening default.

Republican leaders don't know what they want, other than for Democrats to accede to some sort of policy concessions in order to avert the crises. And they're divided on which of the two must-pass bills is the better one to hold hostage.

<...>

Senate Democrats have steadfastly held to their demand that Congress act to reopen the government and avert default before bipartisan budget negotiations.

"When a ship is headed toward rocks, the reasonable thing to do is steer away -- and then work on charting a better course," said Senate Budget Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) on the floor Wednesday afternoon. "When a government is shut down and is headed toward a default that economists say would be catastrophic, the reasonable thing to do is end the crisis, steer away from the next one, and then work together on a long-term plan to avoid these crises in the future."

For the 21st time, she called for House-Senate budget negotiations, which would occur after the government re-opens at status quo levels. For the 21st time, Republicans blocked the request, signaling that they're not ready to let go of the hostages yet.

Boehner told reporters on Tuesday it would be "unconditional surrender" for Republicans to re-open the government or avert default with no strings attached. But his options are increasingly limited as Obama and Democrats refuse to budge...This week, Senate Democrats plan to advance a bill to lift the debt ceiling cleanly until the end of 2014. They'll need six Republicans to break a filibuster. If they succeed, as Democratic leaders are banking on, it would leave the GOP without any clear demands -- or unity -- as the country barrels toward an unprecedented and catastrophic default on the debt.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/cracks-emerge-in-gop-s-hostage-strategy

Right-Wing Activists Abandon Linking Obamacare Repeal To Debt Ceiling
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023816092

[texanwitch]

1. The Democrats were such push overs before.

Now the Republicans don't know what to do.

They didn't have a plan b.

[regnaD kciN]

7. You don't understand…default IS their Plan B

It's part of their delusional Ayn Rand-fueled mentality -- that causing the entire structure of our society to collapse rather than enabling any further "big-government liberalism" will be their "Atlas Shrugged" moment. That, out of the ashes of our current corrupt, altruistic society will emerge a new golden social order where the "makers" will be able to keep all that's rightfully theirs, while the "takers" will be forced to either buck up and learn to fend for themselves or starve. After all, it worked for John Galt, why shouldn't it work for them?

That's what I think people don't get. They assume that the consequences of a default would be so catastrophic that all, in the end, will take whatever steps are needed to avert it. But the House Teahadists, in their Randroid dementia, likely don't see it that way -- in their view, the only acceptable alternative to forcing through a total conservative agenda through repeated hostage-taking (Obamacare now, Social Security next, minimum wage and worker protection down the road?) is to "let it burn."

[texanwitch]

8. You are right about the tea baggers.

The so called regular republicans should have thought about a way out of this by now.

Some way to save face and to look like they tried.

They had no plan b.

Of course the tea baggers are now in charge, so the two years olds are running the show.

The tea baggers just want everything to go to hell.

[flamingdem]

10. Yes, but yesterday the Koch Brothers decided it was NOT a good idea to

spur a default. Thus, the teabaggers are marooned and alone and must follow Boner towards some agreement.

[Squinch]

2. It makes me insane that that moron is insisting that it would be unconditional surrender

for those assholes to just do their damn jobs.

[ProSense]

3. Yup. n/t

[texanwitch]

4. There in nothing they can say to get out of this.

They have painted themselves in the corner.

It would almost be funny except that people are being hurt.

Damn assholes go back to work.

[regnaD kciN]

5. "Not getting everything we demand" = unconditional surrender...

.."and we can never allow ourselves to be pushed around like that!"

[Squinch]

6. It's worse than that."Refraining from senselessly blowing up the government"=unconditional surrender

[AAO]

12. Dumb ass is setting himself up for a HUMILIATING unconditional surrender!

[Squinch]

13. I hope so. But they're such weasels. YOu never know what they'll do next.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

9. I wish I could believe these headlines

Since the past two weeks, we've seen a variety of representatives promise they are against the shut down and would vote for a clean CR only to recant later.

I'm starting to wonder if this isn't purposeful to jangle others' nerves. Repeated episodes of building up hope only to have it crashed again is an effective psych warfare tactic.

[Uncle Joe]

11. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, ProSense.