While banging your ahead against the nearest hard surface, ask yourself:
- How do the Republicans get away with blaming Obama for the deficit?
- Especially when Obama's smaller contributions were temporary measures (bailouts, stimulus) rather than ongoing commitments (wars, tax cuts, Medicare benefit)?
- And how - in the name of God, how - do Tea Partiers fail to see that the biggest contribution to the deficit are the tax cuts they want to keep and extend?
It was improper use of language for a government minister, of course, but I'm starting to think that Vince Cable was right: the world economy is being held to ransom by a bunch of nutters.
The chart is from the New York Times. Related links:
- The Guardian's Richard Adams has a very good summary of where the debt ceiling negotiations stand today.
- If you're wondering what a debt ceiling is when it's at home, try this.
- David Brooks, who has directed most of his fire at his own side (the Republicans) during these negotiations for their extremist posturing, criticises Obama today for his lack of negotiating skill. He notes that the old guard - the congressional leaders - are taking over because the president has effectively marginalised himself. It does seem to me that Obama is just too aloof from legislators and too inexperienced in Washington dealmaking to get that broken machine working again. Neither does he have the kind of Reaganesque boldness and communication skills to force it to fix itself. There must be more than a few Democrats wondering whether it wouldn't have been better, at a time like this, to have a Clinton in the White House.
He certainly doesn't have that Reagan-esque boldness.
Posted by: rsrs | July 27, 2011 at 09:02 PM
It seems to me that Obama is too distant and too inexperienced legislators dealmaking in Washington to get the broken machine will work again.
Posted by: קידום בגוגל | October 07, 2011 at 07:01 PM