Wow, Republicans must be really worried that the Ryan budget essentially handed President Obama a huge campaign weapon to use against them. Their reaction to the President’s budget speech is utterly off the wall. A sampling: the Wall Street Journal called the speech “toxic” and “divisive”; Charles Krauthammer called it “a disgrace“; Karl Rove described “President Obama’s wild rhetorical gyrations” and then predicted the budget debate will help Republicans, which is Rovian for “OMG we’ve got to bury this in mud before anybody sees it.”
There’s enough hysteria and hyperbole coming out of the Wall Street Journal alone to re-float the Titanic. What’s coming from Fox News and Rush Limbaugh could keep the space shuttle program going ten more years and possibly fuel a manned Mars landing. This is terror, people. The Powers That Be on the Right must have suddenly realized they really did overplay their hand and possibly gave away the 2012 election.
David Frum, while still insanely advocating lower tax rates for everybody, acknowledges that the Ryan proposals are probably unsalable to the public and were a huge gift to President Obama.
“Whatever you do, don’t serve to his backhand.â€
“Don’t be nervous. I have the new Ryan serve. It’s bold!â€
“Trust me on this. Don’t serve to his backhand.â€
Thomp. Wham.
And on top of everything else, the CBO says the recent budget deal only cuts this year’s deficit by $352 million, not $38 billion. To clarify, the deal does cut billions from the budget deficit, but much of the cuts won’t be apparent this year. For example, money appropriated for water-and-sewer grants probably wouldn’t have been spent this year anyway, so cutting it from the budget won’t make a difference this year. (See Steve M and Zandar.)
Now the baggers are screaming hysterically that Republicans had better not approve that budget. However, I’m betting the baggers will be ignored, because the GOP will want to change the subject from budgets. Watch them go all out against some liberal interest group next week as a distraction.
maha,
Funny you posted that Frum comment. I say that earlier today and laughed and laughed. And looked at it again and again and did the same thing.
Yeah, I think it’s dawning on them that between their new Governors, and “Privatizing Ryan’s” plan, they may have really shown the brutal and ugly side they try to keep at least partially hidden.
All of last year, they kept screaming about where were the jobs, and how the Democrats were out to take away Grandma’s Medicare – and all the while they had no plan to create jobs, and were plotting to take away Grandma’s Medicare. Grandpa’s, too. And their Social Security. And Sissy’s Medicaid. And help for your cousin’s autistic kids. All while giving more money to the millionaires and billionares!
Here’s a great moment from Congress, where a Democratic Congressman DOESN’T speak about jobs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZCl2bi-JDY&feature=player_embedded
It’s important to remember that Republicans don’t create jobs.
They create serf’s.
And anything that makes Karl Rove ‘squeel like a hog, boy,’ that’s something I can really get behind!
I’ve grown accustomed to the fact that Righties think that when a GOP president proposes doing something that a solid majority of the public wants, it’s because he’s plugged in and A Man of The People, but when a Democrat does it it’s sneaky somehow.
What still gets me is when our supposedly liberal media stars still do it.
I’m pretending you didn’t say that. 🙂
Usually about a week after the Democrats win power in congress or the presidency, the media trot out the old “overreaching” chestnut. It could be something innocuous, like bringing back the celebration of Arbor Day and the airwaves are a storm of handwringing. Let’s see if the subject comes up regarding the bagger clowns and criminals (Rick Scott). Probably not, they had a “mandate” from a bunch of angry people with guns.
After the election NPR had what seemed like an endless series of shows on the the “future” of the Republican Party to the exclusion of clearly defining the agenda of the newly elected president, which might have actually done some good. But, even they couldn’t get out of campaign mode. They still haven’t.
In regard to “off the wall” righties, there was some clown from the Cato Institute on the Diane Rehm Show, referring to the speech as “demagogery”. Sometimes the absurdity is just overwhelming.
Don’t worry about Paul Ryan at all The people in Wisconsin have cast their eyes on him and I m here to let you know that the people in Wisconsin are thoroughly quits on repugs.His political aspirations are over.
maha,
Say what? 😉
WOW..The Wall Street Journal article is like way off the wall. Rabid!…I think Obama hit a nerve. I can see being in disagreement, but the WSJ went bonkers in their assessment..I guess there is truth in the old adage ..The truth hurts.
Maybe it’s because Obama lifted up the name of the most high St. Ronnie with adulation when they knew it was a masked jab at their own stupidity.
Now we’ll see how stupid sells.
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The Right’s reaction is what it is, because Obama had the nerve to propose tax increases that affect the very wealthy. Anything that affects the income stream of the top of the pyramid, and particularly, anything that threatens to stem the momentum of concentrating more money and power at the top must be stopped at any cost.
It’s instructive: the only thing the oligarchy fears is the interruption of their revenue streams. Protests don’t matter and can be ignored until they shut down the country.
gulag and maha – Great, now I’ll have banjo music stuck in my head all morning!
The initial reaction to Obama’s speech was so generally positive, particularly when contrasted to Ryan’s plan, that the Right has to circle the
wagonsfiring squad immediately. Fun to watch, though.And if I had any doubt that Murdoch would destroy whatever lingering credibility of the WSJ, that doubt is gone.
Does anybody see a similarity between Paul Ryan and Eddie Munster?
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Swami – to me, Ryan looks like Sarkozy, who looks like Eddie Munster.
Layers within layers, I tell ya. I demand to see all their birf sertifikuts!