Channeling Monty Python: The "Grand Bargain" Is Not Quite Dead Yet... Just For This Year...

[1StrongBlackMan]

28. Perhaps if someone explained WHY CCPI won't go anywhere ...

And WHY the gop can't take up the carrot And, WHY President Obama (and team) have instituted a great strategy on this issue, people will be less the sad ... I'm pretty certain no one has explained it before. Wait! What? ...


Look at the polling, Democrats and the rest of the Left hate them (the gop); but more importantly, (and I’ve written this so many times, all I have to do a push control-V) a solid plurality of Independent voters AND republican voters (a solid majority, when taken together) see the gop as the party unwilling to compromise; and therefore, the reason nothing is getting done in Washington.

In order to flip the House (because of gerrymandering) and expand the Senate in 2014, Democrats need this cohort of Independent voters and republican voters to either: vote Democratic (which is unlikely); to vote 3rd-party (which will reduce the gerrymandering effect, as it will dilute the gop vote more so than the Democratic vote); or to stay home.

Enter President Obama’s Budget Proposal that included the CCPI … to the Left, it’s Hair On Fire time because NO REAL DEMOCRAT would ever propose “cutting ‘entitlement’ programs”; but look at it from the POV of the target cohort … they see President Obama (and by extension, Democrats) as willing to move on “entitlements” IF the gop is willing to move on taxes (i.e., COMPROMISE). (It is only the Left that is viewing CCPI in isolation). And what is the cohort seeing … the gop continuing to refuse to compromise (that’s what the polling is saying).

Does this strategy risk, disillusioned Democrats sitting home? … Well, yes. And some on the Left are, seemingly, doing everything in their power to make that happen, with their constant President Obama is (and by extension, Democrats are) sell-out devil(s)” mantras, without pointing out that President Obama is not running for office, AND by not pointing out what Democrats (that ARE/will be running) are actually saying … which goes from Pelosi’s, “We’ll consider CCPI; BUT ONLY IF the gop GIVES on taxes” to Markey’s (and the majority of the Democratic Caucsus’) “Hell NO … Leave SS and Medicare alone.”

While I, personally, think that the Pelosi/President Obama position is the wiser strategy, 18 months out from the election, as it continues to reinforce what the targeted cohort already believes … that the gop is unwilling to compromise, Democrats saying “Hell NO!” signals that SS and Medicare will not/cannot be touched.

So Message to the “Hold ‘em accountable” Left and waivering Democrats:

Stop saying/promoting President Obama’s Budget Proposal as merely CCPI (and a few other “anti-Democratic” positions) and help the Democratic Party’s cause by, at a minimum, stating what the Democrats in Congress are actually saying!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251304468


And ...


Here let me spell it out for you one more, again …

Why it hurts republicans …

Republicans demand movement on “entitlements” … President Obama places on the table CCPI … the left freaks out (showing that President Obama is acting against his base, i.e., willing to compromise) … But the offer comes with a demand for more revenue (something that the left ignores during their freak out) … republicans are caught in a pickle; if they accept the CCPI along with the increased revenue, they face a primary challenge because they caved on tax increases AND they are hurt with a significant portion of their mid-term base - the elderly. If they vote against the CCPI, they face a primary because they didn’t cut “entitlements” AND they are hurt with those fed-up republicans and independents that want to see governance, if not compromise, by once again proving the “obstructionist” label, true. The republicans have, once again, refused to take what they asked for.

Now, why it won’t hurt Democrats …

Listen to what sitting Democratic legislators are actually saying about CCPI … Those in safe districts are saying “CCPI? Hell no!” Those in purplish districts and the Democratic leadership are saying, “CCPI? Well, we’ll think about it (against my base’s wishes); but only if the republicans will give in on significant revenue.” Republicans will not do the level of revenue required for CCPI to be put to a vote in the House or the Senate, nor will they do sufficient revenue for President Obama to sign the thing into law.

So fear not … CCPI is going nowhere except to further damage the republican party.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3904206


Maybe folk will listen this time ...