Unilateral Disarmament

You have to love the Republicans.  They have just won a landslide victory for no other reason than they are not the Democrats.  In that case, I suppose it would be more accurate to say the Democrats suffered a crushing defeat, a rejection of their policies that have given us an anemic economy and a pathetic world standing.  Clearly, the voters want a change in direction.  Therefore, before the new Republican majority takes office in a month, let's pass a budget that will last through September.  What?  Are you nuts?  No, you are spineless Republicans.

Why would the Republicans allow the lame duck Democrat Senate to be involved in a long term budget?  It is not going to reflect Republican spending priorities.  It isn't going to defund Obamacare.  It will be a status quo ante budget that will take the power of the purse out of the incoming majority's hand until October.  Why?  First, fear of a shutdown.  Yes, the Republicans are so terrified of a shutdown that they will do just about anything to avoid it, even if that makes the election meaningless.  Obama knows this.  He will veto the government into a shutdown and then blame Republican intransigence.  That's what I would do!  Duh!  If the Republicans can't answer that, then the election is meaningless.  Second, the Republicans want to spend the money.  What is the point of taking over a multi-trillion dollar government and then reducing the amount of spending?  Sure, that's what the voters want but they don't know how much fun it is to spend it and have people come on bended knee to beg for grants and tax exemptions.

 

It is funny that many Republicans have criticized Obama for taking military action off the table when negotiating with Iran, declaring that such can only embolden Iran and weaken our position.  Are they oblivious to the parallels with government shutdown and impeachment?  Never take it off the table unless you get something in return.

Republican Victory? Meh.

Much is being made of the Republican wave in yesterday's elections.  The Republicans won the Senate, increased their numbers in the House, and won governorships in 3 blue states.  Does this mean things will change?  Maybe.  Mitch McConnell, the new Majority Leader, said he plans to use the power of the purse.  That would be the power that the Republicans won back in 2010 and have repeatedly failed to capitalize upon.  Yes, the Democrat Senate torpedoed efforts to defund Obamacare and to hold the line on this spending or that.  The Democrat Senate also refused to pass a budget because that would require compromise, so we have spent the last 4 years on continuing resolutions.  But now, with a Republican Senate, the Congress will finally pass a budget.  Which Obama will almost certainly veto.  And the Congress will be unable to override.  Which will lead to a looming shutdown.  Oh, Mitch McConnell declared he would not allow a shutdown.  Therefore, if Obama threatens a shutdown, McConnell has already announced his intent to cave.  Yes, this is so much better.

As I have said before, the Republicans are spineless.  They will not use the same tactics that Democrats have used against them.  Look for rule changes to re-empower the minority in the Senate rather than allow Harry Reid to suffer under the rules he imposed on the Republican minority.

I have railed against Obama for telling ISIS that US ground troops would not be deployed or telling Iran that a military option was off the table with regard to their nuclear program.  It hamstrings your ability to reach a diplomatic solution.  Criminals surrender to the police because their is a credible threat of force.  Imagine if the police declared that they would never draw a gun or a club to subdue a perp.  Would that increase or decrease the likelihood of someone resisting arrest?

Obama has crippled his foreign policy by publicly announcing what is and isn't on the table.  Mitch McConnell has done the same even before he has taken power.  By declaring what you won't do, you assure that that is what your opponent will force you to do.  If I was Obama, I would absolutely veto everything to the point of government shutdown and watch the Republicans cave.  Duh!  And, if I was Putin, I would poke and prod to see just how 'flexible' Obama is after his last election.  If I was Iran, I would gladly let Obama browbeat Israel and 'negotiate' with me while my nuclear program advanced unimpeded.

 

This election was a rejection of the current path of the country and therefore Obama's policies.  If it had been a rejection of Republican intransigence, one would have expected a different result.  When Bill Clinton suffered a no-confidence vote in 1994, he triangulated and struck a path down the third way.  That was more spin than truth but he did compromise.  Obama did not compromise after the "shellacking" of 2010 and he won't compromise now.

 

Two thirds of voters say the country is on the wrong course, which surely guided their vote.  With a Republican Congress, we will still continue down that wrong course but there will be a bit more use of the brakes.