Shut down the government -- shut down Obama re-election chances

[Samantha]

Why do people seem to think this whole shut-down-the-government threat is truly about deficit spending, Planned Parenthood or abortion? President Obama himself said an extended government shutdown can impair our delicate economic recovery. Isn't that truly the Republicans' goal? Let us refresh for a moment. What did Mitch McConnell say was the number one goal for the Republicans? Ah, yes, make Obama a one-term President.

And that I believe is our clue as to what this current controversy is truly about. If there is one thing we learned from eight years of George W. Bush*, Republicans do not truly care about deficits. Remember Cheney's famous "deficits don't matter" comment? Deficits don't matter to Republicans. Elections matter because that is where all of the power and control (read "money") rests.

This shutdown is not about any of the reasons commentators report. It is about the Republicans' Number One Priority. Impede the recovery, further impair the economy, take out Obama in 2012. That is it in a political nutshell.

Tell me I am mistaken.

Sam

[pnwmom]

1. I think you're right. They're willing to put us through another couple years

of economic misery in order to put Obama out of office.

[Samantha]

4. Of course -- whatever it takes

As long as THEY get what they want, why does it matter how WE suffer? Does it really matter that many cannot report to work? Does it really matter some won't get paid? Well, let's cut to the chase. Does anything matter to them other than getting what they want? Absolutely not.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Alas, you are not mistaken.

They want to shut down the government, in order to derail this very fragile recovery, in order to make Obama a one term President.

It's pretty convoluted, but this is how they think. If you can call it that.

Very sad.

[tridim]

3. I wonder if it'll work?

10 years ago I would have said no way, but now?

[Samantha]

5. They think it will work -- I do not

Most Americans are not really dumb, despite what Bill Gates thinks.

[Pholus]

6. The President has definitely been sending the right tone in his statements!

I think he's playing this one *very* well. The only potential problem is that people may not be willing to try to sort out "who's to blame" and will instead just go anti-incumbent.

[Samantha]

7. I agree he is handling this pretty well

but I am tending to give the American public the benefit of the doubt: I think people will see this for just what it is. And if not, we will help them along by running this thread.:)

Sam

[AndyTiedye]

8. That is Precisely The Plan

The shutdown was their plan all along. It impements their whole agenda in one go.

The Mighty Slime Machine will cover for them as always, and shift the blame for the shutdown to the Democrats.

The Teabaggers will have no incentive to end the shutdown.

[glinda]

9. Mess people's finances even more so they cannot give to elections.

[Mimosa]

10. The rich always can.

My piddling contributions probably never even influenced anybody, I came to realise. :(

[Samantha]

17. I think that is a motivation for everything they do

especially the attacks on the unions and collective bargaining. This might just be the dirtiest Presidential election we have ever seen in this Country, notwithstanding 2000.

Sam

[freshwest]

11. You're not mistaken.

[vroomvroom]

12. OK let's kill Medicare, Give GOP there $100 Billion cuts, and kill Planned Parenthood

and while we are at it..why not just remove taxes entirely on the top 1% and all businesses.

makes sense to me :crazy:

[Golden Raisin]

13. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

[tavalon]

14. Maybe

I'm betting that this is just Kabuki theater to keep us believing there really are two sides instead of one monstrous hydra pretending to be two political parties.

[progressoid]

15. Or not. It didn't hurt Clinton's re-election.

US government shutdown may lead to Obama landslide victor

The US military would continue to operate, motorways would remain open and most government payments would be met. Only non-essential federal government staff would be told to stay at home.

What matters more is the politics. The last shutdown, which occurred into two short phases in late 1995 and early 1996, is still regarded as a disaster for the Republican Party, then led in Congress by Speaker Newt Gingrich, and a triumph for Bill Clinton, who within 12 months was re-elected by a landslide.

Then, as now, a newly-elected Republican majority clashed with a Democratic president about how much to cut spending. Gingrich, now a probable presidential candidate, led the charge against big government, a role being played today by the Tea Party-backed ranks of freshmen in the House of Representatives.

...

Other factors were in play in the mid-1990s, including a resurgent economy which some analysts argue was the overwhelming factor in Clinton trouncing Bob Dole in November 1996. But the former president’s ability to negotiate and spin the confrontation his way was undeniably the launch pad for his success.

This time round the outcome of a shutdown could be different for Republicans. Public anger about the debt and deficit is much deeper than it was 15 years ago, and many voters who supported the party in the 2010 mid-terms because of its commitment to cut spending might feel betrayed if the leadership compromised that principle too much.

...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/8435588/US-government-shutdown-may-lead-to-Obama-landslide-victory.html

[Citizen Worker]

16. If the republicons shut down the government working people should respond by going out on strike,

each and everyone one of US.

[Samantha]

18. I am hoping those who are idled or damaged economically by a shutdown

use the time to research recall procedures in their area and initiate some petitions. When I have the time, I have a couple of people in mind to research as to vulnerability in the event of a recall.

Sam