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In reply to the discussion: HEADS UP: McConnell, Rand Paul Caught Talking Strategy On Hot Mic [View all]Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)56. My fear is that Rand Paul may be right about the public perception.
We know that it's BS to say that the Republicans are willing to negotiate and Democrats aren't. What's going on is that the Republicans have made outrageous demands and indicated a willingness to agree to a "compromise" in which they get only some of their outrageous demands.
Of course, Senate Democrats have demands, too -- things they'd like but can't get through the other chamber, like background checks. So one form of negotiation would be Senate passage of a CR that includes background checks. Then the compromise is obvious: Each chamber drops the policy changes, leaving issues of health care and gun control to be addressed later. The clean CR is the compromise.
What concerns me is that this analysis is too complicated for a significant slice of the electorate, even leaving out the Fox-watchers (who are probably a lost cause anyway). The reason the Republicans are making outrageous demands is that it's a time-honored negotiating tactic -- in widespread use, before any of today's Teahadists were born, because it often works. It plays to the human tendency to find a solution in the middle. Moving one end waaaaaaay out to the side moves the middle.
What's very important here is how this whole fiasco plays with the public. I worry about the blame game. Maybe the Senate should have passed a CR with background checks and/or a 10% surtax on income over $1,000,000. Then Reid could cheerfully negotiate with Boehner and "compromise" on a clean CR. If Boehner wouldn't agree, at least he wouldn't be able to paint himself as the only one willing to negotiate.
Of course, Senate Democrats have demands, too -- things they'd like but can't get through the other chamber, like background checks. So one form of negotiation would be Senate passage of a CR that includes background checks. Then the compromise is obvious: Each chamber drops the policy changes, leaving issues of health care and gun control to be addressed later. The clean CR is the compromise.
What concerns me is that this analysis is too complicated for a significant slice of the electorate, even leaving out the Fox-watchers (who are probably a lost cause anyway). The reason the Republicans are making outrageous demands is that it's a time-honored negotiating tactic -- in widespread use, before any of today's Teahadists were born, because it often works. It plays to the human tendency to find a solution in the middle. Moving one end waaaaaaay out to the side moves the middle.
What's very important here is how this whole fiasco plays with the public. I worry about the blame game. Maybe the Senate should have passed a CR with background checks and/or a 10% surtax on income over $1,000,000. Then Reid could cheerfully negotiate with Boehner and "compromise" on a clean CR. If Boehner wouldn't agree, at least he wouldn't be able to paint himself as the only one willing to negotiate.
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HEADS UP: McConnell, Rand Paul Caught Talking Strategy On Hot Mic [View all]
WilliamPitt
Oct 2013
OP
shorter version; They think they can win if they keep saying they are willing to
MaeScott
Oct 2013
#7
I read the transcript and I really don't understand what they were talking about
meadowlark5
Oct 2013
#3
Rather simple really, posturing and saying whatever instead of focusing on the problem
Coyotl
Oct 2013
#9
Rand Paul saying now they worked to defund it but now that they are here them saying they're willing
NotThisTime
Oct 2013
#5
McConnell is so bitter that he will not even say "The President" or "President Obama"
Botany
Oct 2013
#19
'HIM' just like 'THAT MAN' but they hate him more. Because they are old, he's young and the future.
freshwest
Oct 2013
#24
"They (the Obama administration) are saying the same thing in private as in public..."
hedgehog
Oct 2013
#26
Every time Obama says "We will not negotiate," he draws massive cheers
alcibiades_mystery
Oct 2013
#37
Rs & Ts think this is about "optics" & poll-testing. Public knows this is about shutdown.
Bernardo de La Paz
Oct 2013
#48