The Barney Fife Deal; If They Can't Give us All Give us Nothing
Timothy Birdnow
Writing in The Weekly Standard Stephan Hayes points out another dirty part of the Ceiling Deal:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/fiscal-conservatives-barred-supercommittee_581921.html
"The debt ceiling deal will pass the Senate early this afternoon. No suspense there. But the vote will be worth watching for another reason: Three Republican Senate sources tell TWS that senators who vote against the deal will be ineligible to serve on the so-called “supercommittee” for deficit reduction that the legislation creates.
While there’s certain logic to such a policy, it could be self-defeating. Excluding those who vote against the debt deal will ensure that some of the most fiscally conservative members of the Senate Republican caucus, including most of its freshmen, will be reading about the committee’s activities in the newspaper rather than guiding its decisions. Among those who have already declared their opposition to the deal: libertarian-leaning senators Mike Lee and Rand Paul; Jim DeMint, the aggressive fiscal hawk from South Carolina; conservative reformers Ron Johnson from Wisconsin and Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania; the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee, Jeff Sessions; and Florida’s Marco Rubio, already one of the highest-profile conservatives in Congress.
More worrisome for conservatives, however, is that private whip counts in the Senate found that some 20 Republicans expressed support for the proposals that came out of the Gang of Six. And while many of the components of that plan have merit as individual policy proposals, the package involves compromises on taxes anathema to most conservatives. Picking a Gang of Six member – or supporter – would further antagonize conservatives skeptical of the debt ceiling deal."
End excerpt.
And there you have it; the trap has sprung shut. This commission will be a rubber stamp for higher taxes and no real cuts, and the Tea Party will walk away in disgust. This should have been obvious to the leaders of the GOP, but then nothing ever is obvious to that bunch. We are being led by Barnie Fife.
Remember, Boehner and others promised that this moment was going to be our stand, not next year, not in five years, but now. The Democrats aren't stupid (well, at least not about the mechanics of politics) and they prepared this deviltry, a trap that a blind mind should have seen coming. But, as always, our guys stumbled right in. In a month or so a lot of them will be saying "Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!" and shaking their heads mornfully at the duplicity. Others will have their "come to Jesus moment" when the commission ends up pooping on their heads. But in the end the GOP will express shock and regret, promise to do better provided we give them more, and continue along the path of least resistance as they usually do.
You must understand; Boehner and the other Republicans don't want a revolution in Congress. They have a nice, secure niche and want it to stay that way. They get to strut around as respected leaders, enjoy the good life Washington has to offer, and make lots of money provided things stay as they are. And things only stay that way as long as they can continue to spend money. Money is to politicians what water is to fish; their natural medium. Lose that and they lose power. The trick is to make it look like they are doing what their constituents want while doing exactly nothing.
And if I hear from one more conservative that this was the best deal we could get and we should be grateful I will scream. Imagine having a heart attack and the cardiologist has to operate. Now imagine he operates by clearing an eighth-inch of plaque from one blocked arterie, leaving the rest of them stopped up worse than the only working toilet at a White Castle banquet. Would you thank him for doing a fine job? He tells you you'll die in a month or two, but this should tide you over until then. Do you thank him?
That's precisely what Barney and company have done here.
How better to close this essay than with a song. Who out there remembers this one?
WILL
You'll have to be a little more standoffish
When fellers offer you a buggy ride.
ANNIE
I'll give a imitation of a crawfish
And dig myself a hole where I can hide.
WILL
I heared how you was kickin' up some capers
When I was off in Kansas City Mo.
ANNIE: NO!
WILL: I heard some things you couldn't print in papers
From fellers who been talkin' like they know!
ANNIE
Foot!
I only did the kind of things I orta, sorta,
To you I was as faithful as c'n be fer me.
Them stories 'bout the way I lost my bloomers -
Rumors!
A lot of tempest in a pot o' tea!
WILL
The whole thing don't sound very good to me.
ANNIE
(spoken) Well, y' see.
WILL
(spoken) I go and sow my last wild oat! I cut out all shenanigans. I save my money, don't gamble or drink In the back room down at Flannigans! I give up lotsa other things A gentleman never mentions, But before I give up anymore, I wanta know your intentions!
(sung) With me it's all er nuthin'.
Is it all er nuthin' with you?
It cain't be 'in between'
It cain't be 'now and then'
No half and half romance will do!
I'm a one woman man,
Home lovin' type,
All complete with slippers and pipe.
Take me like I am, er leave me be!
If you cain't give me all, give me nuthin'
And nuthin's whut you'll git from me!
ANNIE
Not even sump'n?
WILL
Nuthin's whut you'll git from me!
ANNIE: It can't be in between?
WILL: Uh-uh
ANNIE: It can't be now and then?
WILL: No half and half romance will do
ANNIE: Would you build me a house, all painted white
Cute and clean and pretty and bright?
WILL: Big enough for two but not for three
ANNIE: Supposin' that we should have a third one?
WILL: He'd better look a lot like me!
ANNIE: The spit and image
WILL: He'd better look a lot like me
ANNIE
With you it's all er nuthin'.
All fer you and nuthin' fer me!
But if a wife is wise, she's gotta realize
That men like you are wild and free.
So I ain't gonna fuss, ain't gonna frown,
Have your fun, go out on the town,
Stay up late and don't come home till three.
And go right off to sleep if you're sleepy,
There's no use waitin' up fer me!
WILL
Oh, Ado Annie!
ANNIE
No use waitin' up fer me!
Writing in The Weekly Standard Stephan Hayes points out another dirty part of the Ceiling Deal:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/fiscal-conservatives-barred-supercommittee_581921.html
"The debt ceiling deal will pass the Senate early this afternoon. No suspense there. But the vote will be worth watching for another reason: Three Republican Senate sources tell TWS that senators who vote against the deal will be ineligible to serve on the so-called “supercommittee” for deficit reduction that the legislation creates.
While there’s certain logic to such a policy, it could be self-defeating. Excluding those who vote against the debt deal will ensure that some of the most fiscally conservative members of the Senate Republican caucus, including most of its freshmen, will be reading about the committee’s activities in the newspaper rather than guiding its decisions. Among those who have already declared their opposition to the deal: libertarian-leaning senators Mike Lee and Rand Paul; Jim DeMint, the aggressive fiscal hawk from South Carolina; conservative reformers Ron Johnson from Wisconsin and Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania; the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee, Jeff Sessions; and Florida’s Marco Rubio, already one of the highest-profile conservatives in Congress.
More worrisome for conservatives, however, is that private whip counts in the Senate found that some 20 Republicans expressed support for the proposals that came out of the Gang of Six. And while many of the components of that plan have merit as individual policy proposals, the package involves compromises on taxes anathema to most conservatives. Picking a Gang of Six member – or supporter – would further antagonize conservatives skeptical of the debt ceiling deal."
End excerpt.
And there you have it; the trap has sprung shut. This commission will be a rubber stamp for higher taxes and no real cuts, and the Tea Party will walk away in disgust. This should have been obvious to the leaders of the GOP, but then nothing ever is obvious to that bunch. We are being led by Barnie Fife.
Remember, Boehner and others promised that this moment was going to be our stand, not next year, not in five years, but now. The Democrats aren't stupid (well, at least not about the mechanics of politics) and they prepared this deviltry, a trap that a blind mind should have seen coming. But, as always, our guys stumbled right in. In a month or so a lot of them will be saying "Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!" and shaking their heads mornfully at the duplicity. Others will have their "come to Jesus moment" when the commission ends up pooping on their heads. But in the end the GOP will express shock and regret, promise to do better provided we give them more, and continue along the path of least resistance as they usually do.
You must understand; Boehner and the other Republicans don't want a revolution in Congress. They have a nice, secure niche and want it to stay that way. They get to strut around as respected leaders, enjoy the good life Washington has to offer, and make lots of money provided things stay as they are. And things only stay that way as long as they can continue to spend money. Money is to politicians what water is to fish; their natural medium. Lose that and they lose power. The trick is to make it look like they are doing what their constituents want while doing exactly nothing.
And if I hear from one more conservative that this was the best deal we could get and we should be grateful I will scream. Imagine having a heart attack and the cardiologist has to operate. Now imagine he operates by clearing an eighth-inch of plaque from one blocked arterie, leaving the rest of them stopped up worse than the only working toilet at a White Castle banquet. Would you thank him for doing a fine job? He tells you you'll die in a month or two, but this should tide you over until then. Do you thank him?
That's precisely what Barney and company have done here.
How better to close this essay than with a song. Who out there remembers this one?
WILL
You'll have to be a little more standoffish
When fellers offer you a buggy ride.
ANNIE
I'll give a imitation of a crawfish
And dig myself a hole where I can hide.
WILL
I heared how you was kickin' up some capers
When I was off in Kansas City Mo.
ANNIE: NO!
WILL: I heard some things you couldn't print in papers
From fellers who been talkin' like they know!
ANNIE
Foot!
I only did the kind of things I orta, sorta,
To you I was as faithful as c'n be fer me.
Them stories 'bout the way I lost my bloomers -
Rumors!
A lot of tempest in a pot o' tea!
WILL
The whole thing don't sound very good to me.
ANNIE
(spoken) Well, y' see.
WILL
(spoken) I go and sow my last wild oat! I cut out all shenanigans. I save my money, don't gamble or drink In the back room down at Flannigans! I give up lotsa other things A gentleman never mentions, But before I give up anymore, I wanta know your intentions!
(sung) With me it's all er nuthin'.
Is it all er nuthin' with you?
It cain't be 'in between'
It cain't be 'now and then'
No half and half romance will do!
I'm a one woman man,
Home lovin' type,
All complete with slippers and pipe.
Take me like I am, er leave me be!
If you cain't give me all, give me nuthin'
And nuthin's whut you'll git from me!
ANNIE
Not even sump'n?
WILL
Nuthin's whut you'll git from me!
ANNIE: It can't be in between?
WILL: Uh-uh
ANNIE: It can't be now and then?
WILL: No half and half romance will do
ANNIE: Would you build me a house, all painted white
Cute and clean and pretty and bright?
WILL: Big enough for two but not for three
ANNIE: Supposin' that we should have a third one?
WILL: He'd better look a lot like me!
ANNIE: The spit and image
WILL: He'd better look a lot like me
ANNIE
With you it's all er nuthin'.
All fer you and nuthin' fer me!
But if a wife is wise, she's gotta realize
That men like you are wild and free.
So I ain't gonna fuss, ain't gonna frown,
Have your fun, go out on the town,
Stay up late and don't come home till three.
And go right off to sleep if you're sleepy,
There's no use waitin' up fer me!
WILL
Oh, Ado Annie!
ANNIE
No use waitin' up fer me!
posted by Timothy Birdnow | 6:01 AM
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