Republican strategy and the Fiscal Cliff.

[zxcvbob]

If they abstain does the Dem vote still pass the legislation? If yes, then I'm good with an abstention on principle. The key is the public has to associate the mess with the statists.

All budgets originate in the House and are then sent to the Senate.  (All spending bills, I think.)  The President can submit a *proposed* budget but it cannot get off the ground unless the House votes on it.  House Republicans actually hold all the high cards except for public opinion and a sympathetic press (is that one trump card or two?)

[Ron]

All budgets originate in the House and are then sent to the Senate.  (All spending bills, I think.)  The President can submit a *proposed* budget but it cannot get off the ground unless the House votes on it.  House Republicans actually hold all the high cards except for public opinion and a sympathetic press (is that one trump card or two?)

The "people" put Obama and the Dems in the Senate because they know what they want.

I say the Republicans should let them have what they want, good and hard.

Allow the President to get his budget.

There is zero chance of even getting milk toast Paul Ryan type reforms let alone anything substantial or meaningful.

The Republicans should make a big show of giving the President and the Dems what they want while drawing the contrast between what they propose compared to the D's.
 
Let the Dems own this economy then let the chips fall where they may.

[SADShooter]

The "people" put Obama and the Dems in the Senate because they know what they want.

I say the Republicans should let them have what they want, good and hard.

Allow the President to get his budget.

There is zero chance of even getting milk toast Paul Ryan type reforms let alone anything substantial or meaningful.

The Republicans should make a big show of giving the President and the Dems what they want while drawing the contrast between what they propose compared to the D's.
 
Let the Dems own this economy then let the chips fall where they may.

This, + 16 trillion.

[longeyes]

Letting the Dems own the whole enchilada is only the prelude.  The Left doesn't mind "owning" collapse, it's just an opportunity for outright tyranny for them.  We don't get out of this situation by pretending that in the end we don't have to walk away from a system that is out to destroy us.  The goal is to walk away intact and unbloodied.

[RocketMan]

The "people" put Obama and the Dems in the Senate because they know what they want.

I say the Republicans should let them have what they want, good and hard.

Allow the President to get his budget.

There is zero chance of even getting milk toast Paul Ryan type reforms let alone anything substantial or meaningful.

The Republicans should make a big show of giving the President and the Dems what they want while drawing the contrast between what they propose compared to the D's.
 
Let the Dems own this economy then let the chips fall where they may.

The Republicans will always be to blame when it goes bad, it does not matter what they do.  It's a no win situation, period.  The MSM will see to it that the Republicans own everything bad about the economy.

[Monkeyleg]

The Republicans will always be to blame when it goes bad, it does not matter what they do.  It's a no win situation, period.  The MSM will see to it that the Republicans own everything bad about the economy.

Absolutely true. The Republicans could put up billboards on every block, hire skywriters, put notices on milk cartons and send direct mail to every household in the country telling people that they are going to do exactly what Obama wants, but whatever happens is the result of Obama's policies. Even then, the media would convince them that the disaster was somehow the fault of the Republicans.

[seeker_two]

Don't vote for Obama's budget....don't vote against it....

....When the day of the budget vote arrives, don't even show up to vote. Release a press statement telling Americans that, if the Democrats refuse to negotiate in good faith & want to derail the national economy, they can do it without the GOP's involvement.

Should make for interesting TV....

[SADShooter]

Apropos of the discussion: Republican "Doomsday Plan".

http://news.yahoo.com/republican-doomsday-plan-cave-taxes-vote-present-143948062--abc-news-politics.html

[Balog]

Honestly, I hope we do go "off the cliff" so to speak. Clinton era tax rates suck, but they are for many at least bearable. And the significant, actual cuts in spending that would accompany them are worth it, to me.

[Scout26]

IIRC, and someone can check my math.  If we raise taxes on the "rich" (those making $250,000 a year or more), per the CBO that will raise $65 billion dollars in 2013. 

Federal Spending is estimated at $10.5 billion.  Per day.   So getting the "wealthy" to "pay their fair share" gets us a week's worth of federal spending.

And Obama is proposing spending $202 billion more in 2013 then we did in 2012.


I'm really convinced that the problem is NOT on the revenue side of the ledger. 

[lupinus]

I'm really convinced that the problem is NOT on the revenue side of the ledger. 

Ya think?

[longeyes]

Government loves the "poor" and even more those who comfortably and profitably minister, via government, to the "poor."  That means that government is essentially a body alien to the vast corpus of the working population of America.  So long as that chasm exists we have an impossible problem on our hands.  Of course it would help if we didn't maintain the poor in their poverty and continue to import more poor to provide clientele for the Helping Classes, wouldn't it?