A Little Deal...

[exedir]

As the clock continues to tick toward December 15th, the deadline for the deal of the century, well, not century, not even the decade and maybe not even for a year, but something that can pass the test of time, just as long as it gets the congress and nation into the new year, 2014, and possibly the most contentious political year of this decade.

Congressman Ryan and Senator Murray have put the differences of billions to make a budget deal that should pass the House with Democrat support while letting the non-tea party part of the Republican caucus have some cover as being paid for. As to the Senate, the issue will be if Leader Reid will control his liberal, progressive Democrats from attempting to attach unemployment insurance extension. Certainly the president will sign it and the scheduled January 15th shutdown is avoided, for two years.

And no, no one is happy about the deal as to what it will not do to solve the country's fiscal problems or reconcile beliefs as to what a government should or should not do.

This deal is crafted to do what has to be done, and no more. The rest will be left to the cage fight that will be 2014 between the political reality of what the electorate will do to reward, or punish, those for the past few years for a divided and irreconcilable Congress.

And of course, the point, for the Republicans, is also to advance the debacle de jour, ObamaCare, as the albatross around the necks of the Democrats, while putting the October Surprise out of mind as to the government shutdown and debt ceiling crisis created by the House and the House Republicans.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

Ahhh...the Conservative Christmas spirit.  

The economy taking another big hit as millions have no money to put back into the economy, and already analyzed to cost 250,000 jobs, because fewer people will be able to buy anything.  What a brilliant plan to save money and create jobs.

The right is so short sighted, unless this is another one of their trick just to try to hurt Obama.  Who do you think the millions of family members will blame for being homeless and/or starving, Republicans or Obama.

WTF do you want to win in 2014 for with this misery that Republicans started in the first place but won't take any responsibility to fix?

[exedir]

What is interesting is that the Democrats are going to back this compromise, which, does not do much to advance their political agenda(s).  It could be said the cure for ObamaCare is another government shutdown to deflect and defuse what has happened in the implementation up to now, and what will probably happen in the next 11 days as the December 23 cutoff date looms for January 1st coverage.  

It has hard to believe the meaningful numbers will be obtained before Dec 23rd, with the other complication as to how the enrollments can be verified, premiums paid and policies issued in a week, that includes the major seasonal holidays.  Of course, most of this can be done retroactively, but for those needing services and those providing services immediately, they will be put in a high state of uncertainty as to what is covered, by whom and how much.  

And no, the story doesn't end, not by a long shot, either about the budget, debt ceiling or ObamaCare with what Ryan and Murray have done, as Pelosi has said, embrace the suck....there is more to come as Old Lang Syne is sung again with a new year, an election year ahead.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

...another government shutdown, another big hit on the economy, the debt, and jobs.  It worked so well last time.  How many votes do your think Republicans lost for 2014.  There is a good chance Dems could have both the house and the senate by this time next year.  

And no not all Democrats have accepted this compromise, many want unemployment extension for reasons I stated above.  I dare you to shut down the government again.

[ProblemAgain]

it's about time they get past this. a 5 per cent approval rating does neither party any good in the long run. i find the interesting thing to be that part of the base the far right republicans have been playing to or just simply playing as in shysterville will not be happy NO MATTER WHAT. and facts and reality have very little to do with the stance of that fringe element. here's an example from a local board talking about the signing interpretor at mandela's funeral (yes, i live in the belly of the beast, the bible belt where the room temperature exceeds the iq level in most seasons):

"This is what happens when people are not checked out. Happened to us with Obama. His father was not born here."

Dec 11, 2013 - 04:48 pm

beastmode

sooooooo that means everyone should have voted for romney........ooooo wait wait.....his dad was burn in colonia dublan in mexico...that means romney's dad was not born in the us and might even be a (gasp!) mexican.....oh those fing pesky facts......it would be simpler if the witling had been truthful and said the objection was his dad was not caucasian....but it's rather like cod's claim that it isn't racism, it's his policies...no matter what the policies are or will be

[exedir]

Again, this is a little deal in substance, but a big deal in appearance which is the real point, embrace...well, embrace what you will, of course.

What this is more of a symbol of posturing for the 2014 mid-term elections, which will be, and most of that will be local and Tip O'Neal revealed decades ago.  The national scheme is that the president has going to have to embrace being a lame duck and having little influence with the congressional parties, as they have to play to their bases for re-election and in some of the Republican incumbents cases, being primaried by tea party ilk.  So, expect little from the 2nd session of the 113th Congress, much heat and little light.  

The big winner in this is Congressman Ryan, as he can advance his brand as getting things done.  Speaker Boehner has drawn the line in the same as to what will be acceptable from the tea party caucus.  However, as the special interests crank it up for 2014, expect a counter to Boehner's leadership.  As to the issues of 2014, ObamaCare has legs. income inequality does to, however, it has to be carefully played so as not to seem but another War, a war on classes.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

You don't think Ryan and Bohner will be primaried for this?  And with R states continuing war on women, they seem to be losing more and more of their base willing to vote for religious nut jobs.

The R have finally started their civil war among themselves, primaries should be entertaining to say the least.

[exedir]

No, not in the case of Ryan and Boehner, safe districts.  

The strategy of primaries is not that someone runs against the incumbent, it is that there is some one with significant backing, mostly money, to give a challenger some leverage.  Most incumbents, which include Democrats, are protected by the drafting of their districts, which will continue until the 2020 census is done and the new state legislatures are elected.  

Unless incumbents make major faux pas of conduct as much as politics, there are few competitive districts in the House.  As for the Senate, more Democrats than Republican seats are up for re-election, of the competitive seats, a lot are forecast as being purple.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

Then why is McConnell getting primaried and according to most Conservative Money Sources, Boehner will now too.  Hardly safe for Ryan either.

[exedir]

McConnell does have his problems and they are complicated as to what is happening in Kentucky.

 Ryan has not gotten anything of significance going against him, in part, due to lack of candidates and financing.  Ryan's district does have labor organizations and as such could provide support for an opponent but labor has been hurt by the Walker recall debacle effort.  

Boehner will get opposition, but outside groups also have a question of if they really want to take Boehner on.  

The idea of punishing Boehner is interesting, by being primaried, but is not realistic.  Problem would be, if Boehner survived, what would the be next step to attempt to replace him as speaker, and if they lose, being marginalizing even more after the shutdown failure, getting finagled in the debt ceiling debate, nucleared in the Senate and the success of the Ryan-Murray budget, which would, overall, delever the faction's influence, and moving it away from having the impact of the 2016 Republican primary process they could otherwise anticipate.  

Regardless, the House is safe for the Republicans, and the real fight is in the Senate where those that support the tea party could have their largest impact and end up with the greatest leverage as to outcomes.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

There's already a money heavy movement to take his speakership away.  They word's out Ryan's a rino too, he's going to get his  -- he didn't "do what he was told".  Strange party, more like a wannabe dictatorship bought by corporations.  Isn't that the definition of fascism?

I'm not so sure the House is safe for Rs in 2014, the latest polls that aren't Fox indicate a distinct possibility Obama will own both houses his last 2 years.   Why do you think that could happen?

[exedir]

No, because change is difficult and this is a midterm election which usually doesn't favor the presidential party.  That has to do with its easier to run against, than for anything, and when the presidential electorate takes its quadrille slumber, and those that have grievances and causes they are promoting or railing against go to the polls.

Worse, this is a lame duck term and the polls are against, well, they are against everything and almost anybody.

If income inequality can gain traction, such as with a fight over the minimum wage, that could excite the Democratic electorate base, however that would probably have a greater benefit to at risk Senate seats than House seats.    

If anything will be determined in 2014 election, it will be that 2016 will be interesting, regardless if Hillary does go for her third term as president.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

I'm not so sure ex.  And I was right about 2008, 20010, 2012.