tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post2298503921896914641..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: The Party of No, SupersizedJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-22131854041338803592010-11-05T04:46:11.166-05:002010-11-05T04:46:11.166-05:00The problem with that approach is that independent...The problem with that approach is that independents almost always blame the President for the state of the economy, rather than Congress. Furthermore, those actions would further alienate the progressive base. Basically, it wouldn't satisfy any of the voters Obama needs in 2012. It's going to be a rough couple of years for the President unless some miracle happens.Kevin S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06076147424768269913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-81938036248387971552010-11-04T13:17:12.987-05:002010-11-04T13:17:12.987-05:00Occurs to me that the zeitgeist has not fully comp...Occurs to me that the zeitgeist has not fully comprehended the trap that Boehner has entered by embracing the Tea Party. They expect him to reduce the deficit, and there are four primary ways to do so (Reduce defense spending, reduce/delay entitlement spending, raise taxes, and benefit from economic growth). Except for economic growth, Boehner's constituency hates all the drivers of their preferred outcome of lower deficits.<br /><br />So obstruction is Boehner's only logical choice, since actually attacking the deficit would involve measures that are deeply unpopular with his base (unless he knows some magic way to jumpstart outsized economic growth). <br /><br />Here's the conundrum that no one is talking about: what if, heaven forbid, the deficit is actually reduced by 2012? What if someone's taxes go up, or someone's entitlements are delayed, or some defense spending is cut, such that 2010's 1.2 T deficit is, I don't know, $800 B in 2012? What do you do, then, if you're Boehner? Celebrate? Celebrate what - new taxes, lower entitlements, lower defense spending? A real dilemma.<br /><br />Indeed, if I were advising Obama I would recommend he seriously consider allowing the Bush tax cuts to sunset, all of them, and take his chances on a slight decline in the recovery in exchange for a huge bite out of the deficit. Happy, now, Tea Partiers? No? Why not?CSHnoreply@blogger.com