And of course, we also have to give credit to Obama for playing along!
I never thought I’d write these words, but here goes: Thank you, John Boehner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for finally admitting on national television that all the fiscal cliffs, sequestrations and budget battles you’ve created are, indeed, artificially fabricated by ideologues and self-interested politicians and not the result of some imminent crisis that’s out of our control.
America owes this debt of gratitude to Boehner after he finally came clean on yesterday’s edition of ABC’s “This Week” and admitted that “we do not have an immediate debt crisis.” (His admission was followed up by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, who quickly echoed much the same sentiment on CBS’ “Face the Nation”).
In offering up such a stunningly honest admission, the GOP leader has put himself on record as agreeing with President Obama, who has previously acknowledged that demonstrable reality. But the big news here isn’t just about the politics of a Republican House speaker tacitly admitting they agree with a Democratic president. It is also about a bigger admission revealing the fact that the GOP’s fiscal alarmism is not merely some natural reaction to reality, but a calculated means to other ideological ends.
And one they can agree on! Both Obama and the GOP want to shred the safety net. Progress!
As long as the safety net is shredded in a bipartisan fashion. Because I care about bipartisanship!
Sooner or later they were going to have to acknowledge this because Paul Ryan’s prescription for prosperity is in all respects identical to the nightmare vision they have for future generations. Our grandkids will be left no choice but to cut taxes for the job creators, while raising their own and living without a safety net. Its not like the prescription ever changes.