Just a few hours ago I wrote about the cynical political games Barack Obama was playing with respect to his two month extension of the payroll tax holiday. His shameful attempt to use American citizens as emotional human shields to cover his election year politicking was being blocked by House Republicans who were demanding a full one year extension. This afternoon Obama appeared on the White House steps to admonish House Republicans and paint a picture of Americans starving in the streets without the $40 dollars they would lose if a deal was not reached.
House Republicans quickly responded by abandoning their principles faster than the French abandoned Paris in 1940. Rather than continuing to make the case for a full year extension, House Republicans abruptly decided it wasn’t worth the aggravation since the “optics” were not on their side anyway. Though their plan for a full year extension was better for American workers, the economy and the country, they were apparently afraid of being painted as scrooges during the Christmas holiday. For their part House Republicans said they didn’t want Obama’s obstructionism to cost the American people.
Republicans seem to be suffering under the delusion that they can earn credit for trying and also earn credit for compromising. Since the mainstream media will continue to paint them as the villains in the story no matter what they do, I find their logic to be deeply flawed. What is Ironic is that by raising the issue and then retreating, House Republicans are in a worse position then if they had simply rolled over and played dead to begin with. By drawing a line in the sand House Republicans had an opportunity to demonstrate the courage of their convictions. By running away 3 days later the only thing they have demonstrated is that they have misplaced their collective manhood.
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