Actually, today, only one dog -- shouldn't we be getting a leak from a super-secret meeting of either Republicans or Democrats (or both) in which they privately are given to much anguished wailing because they really, really, really want to make a budget deal but the other side just won't do it?
Instead, all we're getting is stories about Republicans barely managing to stifle their cheers over a shutdown -- and Democrats "secretly" calling Republicans extremists, which of course is the same thing they're saying publicly.
Yes, I know -- both sides are publicly saying that they don't want a shutdown. But everyone knows that's just spin; it would be more convincing if we had secret, behind-the-scenes "confirmation" of it.
(That is, it wouldn't really be very convincing, because such a self-serving leak would obviously be spin. But, you know, they do have people paid to do that, and shouldn't they be earning their keep by producing "leaks" designed to make them look good?)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
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"Instead, all we're getting is stories about Republicans barely managing to stifle their cheers over a shutdown -- and Democrats "secretly" calling Republicans extremists, which of course is the same thing they're saying publicly."
ReplyDeleteIsn't that exactly what you'd expect to hear from parties that intend to settle but mean to drive a hard bargain? And wouldn't you expect parties who don't intend to settle to be getting the word out about how much they'd like to settle?
Even if they want a deal (I think the Dems do, and Boehner does), they can't know if they'll get one.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the problem is that the spin intended to make the bluff strong (we're going to the mattresses!) is the opposite of the spin intended to win public opinion if there is a shutdown (it's their fault!). Complicated, on the GOP side at least, because Boehner has to convince a very skeptical conference to sign off on whatever he goes for.
I don’t think Boehner really wants a shutdown. As for the Democrats, if they were really interested in governing, they would have passed a budget last year.
ReplyDeleteAlso, fairness doctrine.
ReplyDelete