What the GOP Has Accomplished

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2011/8/26/231821/688

What the GOP Has Accomplished

by BooMan
Fri Aug 26th, 2011 at 11:18:21 PM EST


The Republicans really pounded their own approval ratings into the ground with their brinksmanship over the debt ceiling. Not only did they win a stinging rebuke from Standard & Poor and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernacke, but the Republican Party and the Republican leadership of Congress are now more unpopular than they've even been in Pew Research polling. And what did they accomplish in return for destroying their brand?

Well, they hurt the president's reputation for being a leader who can get things done, they drove down his overall approval rating, they ramped up the perception that things are on the wrong track, they also hurt the Democrats' reputation, they got our credit rating downgraded, they unnerved the markets, and they made the economy worse.

It's as if they're taking a bullet for the eventual Republican nominee, because they helped him/her at the expense of themselves, the economy, and the country.

It is within the Republicans power to obstruct and, by doing so, make the president look weak and ineffectual. That's the path they've chosen. However, the collateral damage has been enormous and the voters seem to have noticed.

People now are much more likely to tell pollsters that they want to see the president take a confrontational tone with Republicans rather than cooperate with them. That plays right into Obama's hands as he shifts to campaign mode.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. There are bits and pieces with which I agree, but

the overall tone of the article is disjointed and contradictory. Normally Booman is pretty consistent and writes well.

I honestly do not believe that they are taking "a bullet" in order to fuck over the president. The TeaBaggers and their GOP stepbrothers (goose-step brothers?) honestly believe that their way is the only way, and that America is coming around to their views. No taxes, many wars, no social spending, (so long as they keep them ugly federal fingers off my Medicare!) especially for the poor, no research or investment in science or the arts, and worse.

I suspect that these polls are as big of a surprise to them as is the President's willingness to compromise in order to cater to their worst demands. On that subject, this week's Nation has a great article on Obama. It really hits it out of the park.

[blkmusclmachine]

2. More 11-Dimensional rope-a-dupe Chess games:

How'd that work out in 2010??

[Arkana]

6. The fuck are you talking about?

And the reason it "didn't work out" in 2010 is because you and yours decided you were gonna TEACH THAT OBAMA GUY A LESSON and stay home.

[Whisp]

9. thank you

:thumbsup:

short and sweet and to the point

[high density]

3. Voters seem to have noticed? That's wishful thinking

By November 2012 voters are still going to be concerned about jobs and the economy. How much the deficit has (or has not) been cut will not matter, and yet that's all we've been talking about this entire f--king year!

[babylonsister]

8. Maybe you missed this...

seems some voters are noticing.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=755984&mesg_id=755984

[izquierdista]

4. He shifts?

If you say so. I kind of think he will continue to compromise, capitulate, and fold, doing exactly what the corporate powers that be want....as conveyed to him by his best buddy Jeff Immelt.

[Fearless]

5. They've fed our lifeblood to the corporate masters. Just like they were supposed to do.

[Tarheel_Dem]

7. K&R (nt)

[Bobbie Jo]

10. K&R

:kick: