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Some of the basics of the sequester are not in dispute. We know, for example, that both Democrats and Republicans believe the automatic sequestration cuts would do real harm to the country. We also know that these cuts, approved as a tactic to bring both sides to the negotiating table, will happen in just 16 days unless there's a compromise.
And that's pretty much where the areas of agreement end.
A closer look at the details of the Republican position reveals a series of problems. GOP officials argue that the sequester is President Obama's fault, but that isn't true. They argue that the White House hasn't offered a sequester alternative, and that isn't true. They've said the Senate's Democratic majority isn't offering an alternative, and that isn't true.
But my personal favorite is the notion that House Republicans have offered a sequester alternative, which is comically untrue. Brian Beutler reported an amazing quote yesterday from House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) office.
"The House has acted to prevent the devastating consequences of President Obama's sequester," Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, told TPM Monday. "We passed a bill more than six months ago, we passed a bill six weeks ago. The President and Senate Democrats now have the responsibility to act."
I'd love to know whether Michael Steel was able to say this with a straight face, or whether even he realizes how silly his own talking points are.
Even John Boehner and his aides must have some basic understanding of the legislative process, and surely realize that proposals that passed the House in the last Congress no longer have any value in the new Congress.
"We passed a bill more than six months ago"? That's very nice, but since it wasn't this Congress, that bill is now void, and the House still needs to do something. "We passed a bill six weeks ago"? I'm happy for you, but since it wasn't this Congress, that bill is now void, too.
Let's make this very simple to understand: sometime over the next 16 days, Congress has to pass an alternative to the sequester, pass a bill delaying the sequester, pass a bill scrapping the sequester, or accept the painful consequences of the sequester. There are no other options.
Senate Democrats have a possible solution, the White House has a proposed solution, and President Obama is open to further talks. Boehner's office, at this point, has literally nothing -- no alternative bill, no plans for an alternative bill, and no desire to compromise.
That's not a matter of opinion; it's just an accurate description of where things stand. When Majority Leader Eric Cantor says, "The House has put forward an alternative plan," he's either deeply confused or he assumes you're easily confused.
If House Republicans want to prove their critics wrong, they can propose a solution or take a seat at the negotiating table. Right now, they prefer to do neither.
As Boehner's spokesperson, if "the President and Senate Democrats now have the responsibility to act," so does your boss. He is the Speaker of the House, after all, who helped get us into this mess in the first place.
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We shouldn't make fun of Michael Steele. I don't agree with him, but at least he's civil and polite. That is rare in Republican circles. Steele isn't a loon, and he's not a conspiracy kook. He's civil, polite, and thoughtful. I rather like that. There's almost nothing he says that I agree with, but at least he's capable of having a thoughtful and honest conversation about our differences. That's become pretty rare these days.
Are you, perhaps, referring to former RNC chairman Michael Steele? Because this article is talking about Michael Steel, a totally different guy who's Boehner's official mouthpiece.
There's a difference between Michael SteelE (With an 'E'), who is the former RNC Chairman, prominent MSNBC panelist, and who happens to be African American. As opposed to Michael Steel (No 'E'), who is a relatively low-level spokesperson staffer for John Boehner, who happens to be a Caucasian and a moron.
The more you know.
Both Michael Steeles are liars, professional liars. The RNC Steele is worse because he puts on this pretend outrage about Republican insanity, while he at the same time promotes it. With insanity, you are either in or out IMHO. The RNC Steele wants you to respect him for being contrarian, but he needs to ramp up the contrarian. He is no Steve Schmidt, to put it lightly...
As I recall, Adolf Eichman was considered "civil, polite, and thoughtful."
The fact Michael Steel can lie with a smile does not make him someone worthwhile.
michael steel ≠ michael steele.
two different guys.
Explain to me again why -
women and members of minorities are Republicans?
women agree to live with a man who has 3 or 4 other wives too?
the partner in a domestic abuse situation who called the police for help is often the person who shoots the cop who shows up?
Stockholm syndrome. The subjugation is a state of mind that can be peeled away by demonstrating the powerlessness of their perceived subjugators.
#3.1 That's the syndrome, alright.
Now that the Republican propaganda has convinced people that Obama owns the sequester, I doubt anything will get done. That is their latest strategy and Big Lie: The sequester was Obama's idea and is his fault. Repeat, repeat, and keep repeating.
Remember the goal: Make the president look bad, no matter the cost. Lie, distort, cheat or steal, the end justifies the means. Just do it. The hell with the economy and the American people, we have to bring the president down!
Let's get rid of these people, starting with Mitch (The liar) McConnell.
India, you and I are not convinced.
How can you be sure that the "people" are convinced?
It matters not who 1st proposed an idea.
I doubt that Repubs really think that Obama thought it up all by himself. Surely they know that most all ideas come from lower down and are just approved by the higher ups.
So, in my take on their claim (a claim that I can't comment on as I have no knowledge of who proposed what in their behind closed doors meetings), my take is -- someone in the WH came up with this idea, it rose thru the bureaucracy, Obama liked it enough to propose it, [it included tax increases not defense cuts], Repubs got it changed to substitute def. cuts for taxes, then Dems and Repubs voted to pass it, then Obama signed it.
Now how does that make it all Obama's fault?
Again, it matters NOT who 1st came up with this idea. Those who voted for it voted for it.
Since today is Lincoln's birthday, let's also remind ourselves of his famous quote that a house divided against itself cannot stand.
#4.1 You are quite close on the origin of it, Steve, but it was the GOP who voted it into law, not Obama.
As far a you and I go, we are probably not watching Fox or listening to Rush. I'm certainly not.
India- You are very right to quote such a brave man on a momentous day. As we sit and listen to the SOTU it is important to remember that after all, we are one nation and we must work together to get things done. With the divided parties in Congress, nothing will get done. We've got 12 ways to get Congress working. Add your voice by joining us at nolabels.org/SOTU #fixnotfight
Gosh, commentators this morning on NBC said the idea was first proposed by Obama. Everyone there agreed with hat, hen disagreed on solutions. But, India, you probably know better...
Republicans are playing a game of chicken with Obama and the Dems. The Republicans are looking at public opinion to see who is going to get the blame. Obama is betting that the public will blame the Republicans again for the current crisis. If the public puts the blame on Republicans they will end up passing the Dem plan at the last moment. But if the public blames Dems then they will have to come up with a better plan and begin selling it to the public. However, I think the public is going to blame both parties and that is not good for either. It is irrelevant to who is actually responsible for the sequester. Public perception of who is to blame will be the motivating factor.
Boehner is basically claiming that reps who were voted out of office still represent their constituents.
Boehner has gone over the moon. He needs to go back to Ohio.
I feel as though we keep going over and over and over the same "basics" - it's like trying to explain to your temper tantrum throwing 3 year old why they can't have that candy-bar they're crying about as you're standing in the check-out line at the grocery store!
This is worse than watching a sophmore in High School "pretend" that he knows the answers to the test he's taking right now, when he didn't study, isn't faintly acquainted with the material, and just barely comes to class!! WTH!!!
Vote these idiots out in 2014!!
I'll be voting in 2014 to vote the PA GOP's out! Ohio needs to get Boehner out, and Kentucky needs to get Rand Paul and McConnell out.
The best feature for the GOP crowd is that these endless crises, these dramatic pseudo-events, allow them to run around hysterically in circles. They don't need to do anything, they don't need to write or study legislation, they can take nice long lunches, work only a few hours, get in a few TV appearances---and then lurch to yet another moment of angst.