Boffo! Boehner & Boys are really burnishing the Repub Brand! - Granite Grok

Boffo! Boehner & Boys are really burnishing the Repub Brand!

And the Establishment wonders why the Republican approval rating in Congress is at an all time low?  And that’s with the general population – imagine what it is with HIGH-information Right of Center folks watching Boehner’s climbing a thousand foot ladder on his knees to get Obama’s and Reid’s approval?  Thus far, what has all that DC Republican groveling gotten them?  And us, the base, watching Obama’s smile get larger and larger??

  • Obama starts out wanting $800 Billion, then jumps to $1.3 Trillion over 10 years
  • Obama is willing to only $850 Billion in cuts
  • Obama want rates upped on the wealthy over $400K (he’s out to destroy the rich – you watch) and he can now pin this on those hated Republicans.
  • Obama wants $50 Billion more in stimulus (er, what, we already spent $1 Trillion – and other than fatter Govt employee wallets, what do we have to show for it?)
  • Obama wants to control the National Debt unilaterally.

You known, Boehner didn’t learn a thing from the Prez Primary, did he?  Each and every time someone came out swinging, stood their ground, and stood for Principle, their ratings improved (yes, sadly, then they imploded on other stuff, but that’s beside the point).  Republicans appreciated someone standing for up what they believed – and defended them against those that stood for everything they were against. Sure, it was a primary when you have to appeal to the base, but given that the grassroots doesn’t trust the Establishment to begin with, there is certainly much angst in the base when they see what appears to be a complete meltdown of backbone from a PR standpoint “Ew, what will the Media say about us NOW?  Waaaaa!”).  Every time Boehner gives in, Obama wants more and gets Reid and Pelosi to continue Operation Humiliation; their Lucy to to Boehner’s football.  Obama is just laughing and laughing.

From my standpoint, I see the nation moving from a Freedom orientation to a “take care of me, Security / Safety” – not a great move for the country.

Republican ideals -at least what they are supposed to be:  limited government, limited taxes.  Boehner & Boys are just tossing them into the toilet in abject surrender.  Oh sure, it LOOKS like there is bargaining going on – and who knows, there may be a “deal”.

Such a deal.

Right now, it looks like Obama gets what he wants – and the prize is not really the higher tax rates (although that’s what seems to be front and center).  He really wants that last item on the list.  Oh sure, the Constitution mandates that the debt has to be honored -but that never meant that it was supposed to be a piggy bank which is exactly how giving up control would do (“Oh sure, we’ll pay it back – just like our $1 Trillion stimulus worked!”).  Remember, Obama is out to “level the playing field” on an international level.  Determined Weakness.

Back to Boehner & Boys – so how is going to play out?

Brand – what is it that you stand, and do you defend it?  Given the results of the election, the Republican brand (at least at the national level), there is a lot of anger of how tarnished it has become – lots of talk about values but not a lot of action to support that talk.  For anyone not enmeshed in politics, what would they say the Republicans stand for?

  • It can’t be for lower taxes – up they go!
  • If they are giving Obama more money (see above), how does that make for a smaller government?  Bigger it gets!
  • Leadership?  Oh please
  • Principles?  Naw, giving away the country for the illusion of winning politically later?

No, not priceless – bankrupt.  When Republican leaders are getting played like a bad banjo, how the heck do they think they’re going to attract the voters they didn’t win the last time?  We hear all the time that the “Strong Horse” rules in the Middle East and in tribal environments.  I wouldn’t say that holds true here in the US, but it is true that the US loves winners and ignores losers.

At this point, given how Obama has so badly outplayed, and the “baness” accruing to Boehner, how much worse would it actually be for “the brand” to actually go over the Fiscal Cliff, given how badly damaged the goods are already (er, like how much worse can it get?).

 

 

 

 

>