For once in my life I agree with “Blinky” Dick Durban, Democrat spokesman for the Gang of Six, when he said today, “You break it, you own it.”
What Durbin failed to say was who gets to decide who that someone is that ends up owning it.
It’s been our (conservatives’) call all along, since early 2010, and certainly not one any Democrat will echo this…
…Take it the People…
…so the people can decide this one thing. Then we can see once and for all just which vision of America the People prefer.
Boehner and his new majority made a solemn pledge to the American people not to raise taxes (or allow it). The People responded in November, 2010.
Obama made a solemn pledge to the American people to fundamentally change America. The People responded in November, 2010, as well, only Obama still doesn’t believe it.
(The Dems also promised to do what they’ve always done, and that is steal anything that isn’t nailed down. But find themselves reluctantly in Obama’s boat, while he’s shooting holes in it.)
The entire Obama/Democrat strategy here is to force Boehner to break his pledge before the People get a second chance to remind Obama his notion of “change” was a lie.
It isn’t about tax cuts, or bond ratings, or debt ceilings as much as you think, for the Democrats always believed they could either make the GOP blink or hang the rap for the subsequent government shakedown on the GOP.
They are no longer as sure of themselves as they once thought, for the People simply are not the same “people” who fell for the Democrat trick in 1996.
It’s the Dems who are sweating here.
Follow the sequence of events:
1) The Obama Welsh
Obama made a deal with GOP House negotiators which included some entitlement cuts in exchange for app $800B in add’l revenue through closing tax loopholes.
The Democrats (Pelosi, Reid, et al) nearly came undone.
So Obama went back to Boehner with an add’l $400B in new taxes.
(This can be proved circumstantially, so not just a “he said, she said”.)
Boehner (politely of course) said “I’m outta here” and scrammed (politely, of course). No one deals with a welsher.
2) The Obama Expulsion
Boehner effectively expelled Obama from future negotiations. He could kibbitz, but his pre-deal opinion no longer mattered. Reason: He is no longer considered trustworthy. Everyone hates a welsher.
Boehner would work out a deal, or not work out a deal with the Dems and Senate, as it was always supposed to be. Do a deal, send it to the President, then and only then let him put his mark where his mouth is.
3) Democrat Plan B– “You Break it, You Own it”
The Democrats had to hit the Sunday talk shows fast with a “blame the GOP” scare since the last headline they ever want to see on media networks is that Obama had been expelled from the negotiations for bad faith. But in effect, that is precisely the case, and even Harry Reid recognizes this.
It was always our (conservatives’) hope to run with the “You break it, you own it” slogan ourselves, only we want the American people to decide, not the American media. On cue, the American media decision process started Sunday to preempt that process.
They want…need, must have…the GOP blink today, now, this week, for next month it’s over.
Above all other things, we know this: The last thing the Democrat Senate or House want to do is to take this case to the people…for the ugly truth is, their numbers, right now at about 40%, are as good as they will ever get. By Fall, they will be in the 30% range, and dropping.
All because of the Obama welsh. Obama may be seen as having poisoned the well for all the misdeeds SEIU, ACORN and others had planned for the 2012 campaign season. (More on that later.)
Take it to the People, make Obama and the Democrats “own it.”
A Final caution:
My only caution to you about so many of the GOP leadership, including Mitch McConnell, we generally don’t like:
This stand-your-ground-courage stuff is not territory they are accustomed to occupying.
They are not used to holding strong hands, therefore, not really used to understanding their cards for what they are. They have no established reputation for playing their cards well in tense situations.
But they are the ones playing the cards. This is not the time to lament the deal.
Played well, this reputation can be a distinct advantage for the GOP, since the Democrats (not so much Obama, who is off in la-la land) do know the strength of their hand, so have to push now to get them to fold quickly, as I just explained.
This is no time to pre-prosecute and pre-execute them. Frightened men can do wondrous things when encouraged. Even lawyers. Even politicians.
They need to know we are the wind at their back.
