Possibly the Last Opportunity to Turn Lemons Into Lemonade

My opinion is that the Republicans lost the battle for the budget because of Boehner's lack of leadership.  The only real chance we had for REAL progress, was the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act, and we stopped pushing for it after it passed the house, and Senator Reid refused to allow a vote on it in the Senate.  All other budget proposals and plans, with the singular exception of Representative Paul Ryan's plan, were "feel good" plans with no guaranteed controls to insure that they would do ANYTHING, except for the IMMEDIATE raise of the debt ceiling, and stopping the crisis discussions until after the 2012 elections, which was the only real bargaining power the Republicans had, in order to negotiate guarantees for Republican inclusions in the budget.  The so called "triggers" are simply "koolaid" for the Republicans who bought into the fake "fear factor" that they have caved in to, so many times before, from the Obama Democrats.  Triggers are simple "proposals" in a bill which guarantee NOTHING!  America would have been much better off if we had held tightly to our advantage, stood behind the Cut, Cap & Balance Act, and if the Democrats refused a voto, let the Democrats cause the budget default, and take the credit for it.  This would have been the Republican guarantee to win the November 2012 elections.  This is what Obama was fearing most and why he refused any plan which did not implement stop crisis talk until PAST the 2012 election date.  But the Republicans caved in.


So now we find ourselves in a horrible situation, having agreed to a budget which fails America while promoting Obama's re-election chances.  Once this bill passes, both the budget and the November election will be out of our control, and no guarantees from either.


ENTER DICK MORRIS WITH A PLAN THAT JUST MIGHT TURN LEMONS INTO LEMONADE


"If the Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, opt for a deal with the Democrats to aim for big spending cuts, in two phases, but to raise the debt limit so it is out of the way until after the 2012 elections, how do we make Obama agree to cuts?

The current discussions focus on triggers which would automatically impose cuts in programs near and dear to both party's hearts -- Medicare for the Democrats and Defense for the Republicans -- if the spending cuts are not realized.  But these triggers mean next to nothing.  What a Congress passes, another Congress can repeal.  One can easily see Congress not coming to agreement on the second wave of cuts and then passing a resolution to suspend the trigger-mandated cuts.

The blunt fact is that once the debt limit is raised until after the election, Obama can get out of town and not worry anymore.  He won't make any cuts.  We'll get the cuts we are implementing right now -- about a trillion OVER TEN YEARS -- and no more.

But there is a trigger which can work -- the budget itself.

If the Continuing Resolution passed in the spring was battle one (which Obama won) and the debt limit was battle two (which the GOP has won), the budget for 2011-12 is battle three.

The Republicans should refuse to pass a budget but just pass a new Continuing Resolution funding the government through January 1, 2012.  If the recommendations of the spending cut commission are not passed or some other cuts have not replaced them, the House should refuse to extend the Continuing Resolution and should trigger a government shutdown.

The looming threat of a shutdown will terrify Obama and will force his hand just as the debt limit has done.

We have gotten half a loaf in this current battle over the debt.  Let's not disarm until we win the rest of it.  What we haven't gotten in the debt deal, we can get in the budget deal.

That's the trigger which will work."


Thats the ONLY trigger with any teeth!  Dick Morris returns the power back to the Republicans, ensuring the return to budget crisis discussions for almost a whole year before the 2012 elections, and offers us what might be our last opportunity to stop this madness.  Now the question is, will Boehner just see this as another OPPORTUNITY to cave in to Obama/Democrats, or will he demonstrate the cajones necessary to turn this lemon into lemonade?  At some point we MUST say NO, and Boehner seems to prefer avoiding the fight now, and putting it off for someone else to handle.  Maybe he is thinking of retirement soon, or could it be just another mistake from him and he is NOT thinking of retiring soon?  No Boehner - No brainer.  Implement this plan with him if he has the cajones, or do it without him if he does NOT.


This post was sent as a two page fax including images, to POTUS, Senators Cornyn, Hutchinson, Rubio, Snowe, McConnell, Reid, Feinstein, Reed, Murray, Representatives Boehner, Cantor, Ryan, Poe, Levin, Pelosi, and various Conservative and Liberal media outlets.