One wonders what really takes place behind closed doors in America's politics. There is no way to know that the end point was not determined by the leaders early during their deliberations, with what followed merely being an acting out for the benefit of the cameras and colleagues a predetermined procedure to get to that point. Even negotiating before the camera would not have prevented negotiators from talking or texting in private.
The agreement reached, following tea party hostage-taking, was a reasonable compromise, but it was not a draw. Obama and the Democrats were the winners, though not clear winners. Remember, the only winning card Obama held to head off a default was the 14th Amendment option, but it use would have done nothing about reducing the deficit. Democrats had to win with one hand tied behind their backs. But Democrats are responsible for their weak position because they did not vote and encourage others to vote in the last election. As a consequence, many of those who found no reason to vote last time may find themselves unable to vote next time.
But the Republican defeat likely was due to both the skills of Democrats and to telephones calls from constituents, informing tea party freshmen that they did not vote for hostage-takers, and parents reminding these Republicans that they didn't raise any. Republicans are offended that these hostage-takers were called terrorists. But when the people who need Social Security checks to survive are your parents and grandparents, and you are unable to fill that financial gap, sensitive Americans would believe those families are terrorized.
Republicans forget that Democrats also want to cut spending. They forget that Obama was cutting spending before hostage-taking and negotiations began. Many Democrats were critical of Obama's cutting spending without requiring something from Republicans. Adding these cuts means Democrats cut more. They met Republicans on their playing-field and still beat them.
The revenue increases that Obama wanted could become part of the debt-reduction solution. Despite Republicans threatening to hold the debt ceiling hostage in 2013, and talking about blocking any possible revenue increases by the super committee, a balanced-budget amendment could become the sweetener that makes it happen.
Despite thousands of teacher, police, and firefighter jobs being saved, Republicans use every opportunity to claim that the stimulus failed, It shows what Republicans really think about the value of middle class jobs. But the American people will be watching, listening to and thinking about both Democrats and Republicans much more closely for the next sixteen months. This present round of politics is educating and alerting Americans as never before. Every Republican lie or exaggeration must be challenged, every deception exposed and every dark place illuminated.
Because Republicans have blocked every Democratic effort to adequately address the problem, the United States are still struggling to get Americans out of this recession. They forced a stimulus package that was too small and contrary to what most experts said was needed. Facing the threat of it's not passing in the Senate, the President did not even try for a larger stimulus. Wanting to avoid early confrontations and hoping to lay a foundation for future bipartisanship, the President settled for a package that was too small.
So what do Republicans do when the economic stimulus fails? They call the stimulus a failure and blame Obama for for doing what they forced him do. The President, his budget and other financial advisors, and Paul Krugman--a Nobel Prize winner in economics--said the economy needed a larger stimulus. But Republicans wouldn't allow it. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that they either knew the stimulus would be insufficient and wanted the economy--and ordinary American people--to fail under Obama's leadership, or Republicans forced Obama do what they would have done if they were in charge. Either way the failure of the Obama's stimulus was really the Republicans' failure.
Most people know that the way businesses grow is by borrowing money and paying it back as the business expands. Businesses that want to grow don't reduce inventory and put their profits under the mattress. Why do Republicans believe that the federal government can grow the economy by using a different strategy?
Republicans seem to object to the fact that some less fortunate Americans are relying on the income of more privileged (but only sometimes hardworking) Americans to finance their livelihoods. But they don't seem disturbed that many of these privileged, wealthy Americans are relying on incomes denied the poor and powerless so they can finance their lavish and extravagant lifestyles.
Any politician who believes that his or her ideas about solving complex economic problems are the only ways to do it either has "lost some marbles" between the ears or intends to solve the problems in ways that benefit only a certain people. People who are elected to political office represent all of the people voting territory, not just members of his or her party. Voters should be electing people who will be impartial in seeking the best solutions based on which seem to benefit more people. Politics will produce winners and losers among candidates but should not seek to produce winners and losers among constituents.
The eyes of America will be on both Democrats and Republicans, especially tea party members, during the next sixteen months and the coming political campaigns. Voters will be on the watch for candidates who sign pledges not to compromise, and to obey the will of people other than the voters who elected them and other constituents whom they represent.
Let the 2012 campaigns and debates begin.
Ronald C Spooner
Email: rcspoon@earthlink.net
Blog: ronaldcspooner.blogspot.com
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