tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post1079325840487373612..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: While the Cards Are Still on the TableJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-29997371360434814262010-11-21T13:41:19.489-06:002010-11-21T13:41:19.489-06:00Two things:
One is that I don't agree that re...Two things:<br /><br />One is that I don't agree that rejectionism worked for the GOP in the midterms. I think it's likely they gained little or nothing from most of their opposition -- blocking judges, or exec branch appointments, or low-level legislation. I do think they may have helped themselves by opposing some of the economic stuff, and I think it's a sensible strategy (although not necessarily correct) on major items, on health care and energy/climate. <br /><br />Second, for all that, there are lots of things where Republicans *didn't* just plain oppose, but did use potential or temporary opposition as a bargaining position.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-52297532414234838802010-11-20T18:45:20.222-06:002010-11-20T18:45:20.222-06:00Well it worked for them in the midterms. Why would...Well it worked for them in the midterms. Why would they even consider not trying to block him and make him look weak. The 1st 2nd and 3rd priority for the GOP is to get Obama out of the White House. If they can figure out a way to sink the economy or maybe blow a nuclear reactor without getting caught then they might go for that too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-76453932130037965682010-11-19T19:36:48.392-06:002010-11-19T19:36:48.392-06:00I think we do know the Republicans' real goal ...I think we do know the Republicans' real goal in this case: it's simply to destroy Obama, to undermine his foreign policy, to make him look weak so that they can then crow at every rebuff he gets from abroad. The tactics are the same as in the healthcare process: negotiate in bad faith, delay delay delay, claim they're being rushed, and do everything they can to block.Andrew Sprunghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17601269968798865106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-17007610650317249682010-11-19T16:30:53.056-06:002010-11-19T16:30:53.056-06:00Jonathan, I think you might be misinterpreting tha...Jonathan, I think you might be misinterpreting that last statement. I think what he is referring to is this statement he made earlier in his post:<br /><br />"Extra nukes over and beyond what’s needed to deter credibly don’t do anything for the country—they don’t add inches to our national penis or anything—it’s just an income stream for certain firms and bureaucrats who deal with the nukes."<br /><br />I think what MY means is that the defeat of the treaty will, itself, result in more pork to some Republican-leaning constituencies. He doesn't talk about the possibility of the Republicans dealing away START opposition for goodies anywhere else.<br /><br />Or hey, maybe I'm wrong. But that is how I read it.ResumeMannoreply@blogger.com