White House Believes G.O.P. Will Bend as Cuts Take Hold

[alp227]

Source: NYT

President Obama’s team concedes that the almost certain arrival of across-the-board budget cuts on Friday will not immediately produce the politically dramatic layoffs and airport delays that the administration has been warning about for days.

But White House strategists say they believe that a constant drip-drip-drip of bad news will slowly emerge in Congressional districts across the country in the weeks ahead, generating negative headlines and — they hope — putting Republicans on the defensive for their refusal to raise taxes.

Yet by accepting the inevitability of an extended Washington stalemate, the president is risking the possibility that Americans will eventually blame him — not members of Congress — for job losses, smaller paychecks, longer lines at airports, a reduction in government services and a less well-equipped military.

He could also ultimately emerge as a kind of president-who-cried-wolf if Americans just shrug at the slow-rolling budget cuts and think the crisis atmosphere that Mr. Obama created was more hype than reality. On Tuesday, the president began admitting that the impact of the cuts “won’t be felt overnight.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/us/politics/white-house-believes-gop-will-bend-as-cuts-take-hold.html

[snappyturtle]

1. Dumb belief in my book. Americans are so used to being screwed they'll adapt

for better or worse and the repukes will get away with it. imho

[City Lights]

2. Heck with bending, I hope they break.

Break into millions of tiny pieces.

[John2]

3. I've come to the

conclusion, they need to be annihilated. It is the only way.

[backscatter712]

4. If the Republicans allow the sequester to kick in...

Then the White House should withdraw all compromise offers, and demand unconditional surrender from the Republicans. Punish the GOP by making them eat some humiliation.

[angry citizen]

5. No Mr. President

They hate you more than they love the country.

[Joe Bacon]

6. Why should Republicans bend?

They're in gerrymandered districts that are locked in until 2022. They don't have to worry about the government collapsing because they're insulated.

[Gore1FL]

9. I am not sure about that.

The last election will have the greatest impact, and ask each one passes the effect will lesson as people move, change jobs, come of age, or die.

I am not arguing there will still be an impact, but couple that diminished support with the electorate becoming more and more disgusted with the GOP, the demographic trends, and the downright fracturing of the GOP, and they have real problems.

They've been cheating since 2000. The short-term gains are becoming long-term losses for them.

[Kablooie]

10. In gerrymanderd districts they CAN'T bend or they will be primary'd.

If they want to hold their seats the one thing they can't do is make a deal with Obama.
The only mandate they have is to oppose Obama.
The consequences, no matter how horrific, don't matter.
Just like Islamic extremists, reality is not to be considered, only ideology.

[librechik]

7. Obama is the Anne Frank of politics.

No matter what, he still believes people are really good inside! (written moments before being captured and sent to Auschwitz, as I recall)

[SemperEadem]

8. Americans by and large

are spoiled. They want what they want when they want it. They do not like being told they have to wait for what they want. In fact, they believe there's a constitutional right to them having whatever it is they want when they want it. Advertising sure tells them that this is the case.

When they have been inconvenienced because of something that they've always taken for granted is either in short supply or slow in coming, that is when you will start seeing the outcry--and the blame will be laid squarely at the feet of the republicans where it should be. They are the ones who came up with this brilliant idea. It's called "digging a hole for someone else to fall in.." However, beware of the hold you dig for others lest you fall into it yourself".

The American people want the rich to be taxed--it's overwhelmingly so. The "American people" taht the GOP talks about are their wealthy 1% donors. Period. The very vocal minority of people who take advantage of all the msm being their personal bullhorns are complicit in their own downfall.

You are going to start seeing the spin by the msm now trying to lay this at the feet of Obama. It is up to the internet and the pressure of progressives and liberals to keep the focus where it rightfully belongs--on the conservathugs.

[mac56]

11. This

May I repost?

[SemperEadem]

12. be my guest!

[high density]

13. Why didn't Obama do this two months ago?

I'm glad he has finally stopped kicking the can down the road.

[Amonester]

14. "risking the possibility that Americans will eventually blame him"

Haven't the NYT read the polls?

Plus, he's not up for re-election.