THE DEAL: Once again, though, so much depends on John Boehner’s largely gelatinous political spine

[kpete]

THE DEAL
By Charles P. Pierce at 9:51am


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Current spending levels” are what’s kicking the hell out of people around the country. I just thought I’d mention that, since nobody else seems to give a damn. The president already has told John Harwood on CNBC that actual increases in the income-tax rates are off the table as far as he’s concerned. That leaves only “entitlement reform” as a basis for any kind of bargain, and we all know where that goes. Austerity — misbegotten, cramped, and utterly unsuited to the nation’s most immediate needs — remains the fundamental philosophy behind economic thinking in both parties, and will be the philosophical basis for any agreement. If the replacement for the sequester are simply another system of cuts that maintains this level, it’s hard to see how the Republicans don’t walk away from this still with far too much of a win for their vandalism. And, of course, the monkeyhouse is still open for business.

…Once again, though, so much depends on John Boehner’s largely gelatinous political spine. He can get the votes to pass this deal, as is, and without all the add-ons that Costa’s reporting indicates that the vandals are demanding. He’s going to need Democrats to do that, however. This is in no way a win. If we’re lucky, it’s a tie. And then we’ll all sail through the holidays and see what fresh horrors await after the turn of the year. This is no way to run a democracy.


http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/Deal_Of_The_Month_Club?src=spr_TWITTER&spr_id=1456_26929798

This is in no way a win. If we’re lucky, it’s a tie.
CP gets this one right, mho, kp

[el_bryanto]

1. That's pretty accurate

And worth remembering that by keeping spending at or new Sequester levels We've already lost a whole lot.

Bryant