S
o Tuesday, Obama urgently called on Congress to head off the sequester with a short-term fix. But instead of offering an alternative $1.2 trillion in cuts, Obama demanded a “balanced approach,” coupling any cuts with new tax increases.
What should the Republicans do? Nothing.
Republicans should explain — message No. 1 — that in the fiscal-cliff deal the president already got major tax hikes with no corresponding spending cuts. Now it is time for a nation $16 trillion in debt to cut spending. That’s balance.
The Republicans finally have leverage. They should use it. Obama capitalized on the automaticity of the expiring Bush tax cuts to get what he wanted at the fiscal cliff — higher tax rates. Republicans now have automaticity on their side.
If they do nothing, the $1.2 trillion in cuts go into effect. This is the one time Republicans can get cuts under an administration that has no intent of cutting anything. Get them while you can.
I don’t even know if “automaticity” was a real word, but it is now that Krauthammer used it.
He acknowledges the sequester is ridiculous policy but follows up with this:
The GOP should reject it out of hand and plainly explain (message No. 2): We are quite prepared to cut elsewhere. But we already raised taxes last month. If the president wants to avoid the sequester — as we do — he must offer a substitute set of cuts.
Otherwise, Mr. President, there is nothing to discuss. Your sequester — Republicans need to reiterate that the sequester was the president’s idea in the first place — will go ahead.
Yes, the Republicans do need to reiterate that, because the MSM has been in full lap dog mode to blame them.
when is the president going to take responsibility for any of his actions, when are we going to fix blame. where does the buck stop? he killed Bin Laden but he didn’t know about Benghazi or gun running to the cartels. which is it? is he in charge or not. immigration reform he wants to take credit for, giving the store away, to the enemy is ok but sequestration for our military is the Republicans fault?
“Republicans finally have leverage. They should use it.” Agreed, they do, but that won’t stop that spineless POS Boehner from tucking his tail between his legs, caving in, and giving away every bit of leverage that the GOP has!
The sequester is stupid. So what if we only cut 20% of our annual deficit spending. Sequester or not the country is still going to go belly up.
“Republicans should explain……” Certainly. Just remove the “mush” from their mouths, replace it with “articulation of policy” and explain. Any takers on this move?