In the Arena

Republican Kamikaze Ride

The GOP seems intent on self-destruction. Now they’re siding with Wall Street bankers against Main Street, voting no on financial regulatory reform. One of the their own, Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, has called them on it:

It’s going to be very, very difficult — very difficult — to get 41 members to hold, especially, especially if many of the provisions in this bill address concerns that everyday people on Main Street have,” said Corker. “That’s why I thought it was so important to leave that committee — maybe lose three Republicans, lose three Democrats — but to end up with a middle-of-the-road bill that we can all hold hands and fight off amendments.”

Tell you the truth, I really don’t understand the Republican strategy…unless they are trying to communicate that anything–anything–proposed by the Democrats and signed by this President is illegitimate. But the ads for the fall campaign are writing themselves:

The Republicans opposed health insurance that can’t be taken away…because that’s what the insurance companies wanted.  The Republicans opposed regulating the Wall Street sharks….because that’s what Wall Street wanted.

The rest of the ad writes itself. I’m sure Democrats will lose House seats in November, but the Republicans certainly seem to be working hard to minimize those losses.

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  • sacredh

    Is the banjo picker from Deliverance advising these guys on strategy?

  • http://theblindspotsofgod.wordpress.com lawyermommy

    The Republicans have no clear plan for anything.

    They oppose everything from this President and the basis for their opposition to various initiatives are always changing- thus resulting in their intents and motives looking suspect and questionable!

    I agree that Democrats will lose seats especially those who were swept in on Obama’s coat tails, however it is also true the Republicans are working hard to minimize Democratic loses. Good for the Democrats!

    I hope the Democrats can understand the posturing by the Republican party and foresee the outcome of these acts by the Republican.

    They, the Democrats, should do everything to make sure this consistent and wild opposition by the Republicans works out to their benefit.
    The Republicans will be the losers in all this if the Democrats work the media and people effectively.

    These days, the Republicans appear to be a pathetic bunch. Running on a platform of No to everything makes the party look completely devoid of substance and direction.

    LM
    http://theblindspotsofgod.wordpress.com/2010/03/06/stalking-criminality-the-law-and-women/

  • jnb987

    I keep seeing the same image in my mind, which is that of the spiral of water from the stroke of an orr in a rowboat. The spiral has fervor at first, but all it does is whip itself away from the orr and into oblivion.

    The GOP seems perilously close to the path of whipping itself into oblivion.

  • charlieromeobravo

    Well, I’ll say one thing for the Republicans. They aren’t joking when they say they stick to their principles, as ugly as those principles can be. Let them campaign on repealing the health care reform bill and blocking financial reform. It won’t do them any favors with most Americans but, strangely, the Tea Baggers will love them all the more for it. The Republicans will lock up the crazy fringe vote and marginalize themselves even more.

  • lcky9

    I have to say that Wall Street is only the tip of the ice berg.. First Wall Street is a fathom, where people place their hard earned money in hopes of becoming rich.. it is to bad they are not smart enough to know what they are doing is giving these companies operating capital and IF you take your money out while the companies are MAKING money you WIN, wait to long and if the company goes down YOU LOSE.. It’s the GREED of people that keeps them going.. IF people want to not take a risk DON’T put your money in the stock market..IT’S legalized government sanctioned GAMBLING for all.. What does bother me is the GOVERNMENT sticking it’s nose in Controlling everything.. I do believe that is what they do in socialist countries, SORRY but if the shoe fits wear it.. FIRST the banks, and right on down.. and that part does worry me.. after all how many people do you see trying to swim to socialist/communist countries because they are such a good place to live? Even Micheal Moore didn’t give up either his money or citizenship and move to one, no he came back and made millions using Capitalism off suckers who bought and went’ to see his movie. Some how I don’t believe that those that are knocking capitalism are willing to give up their fortunes for socialism..

  • square1

    The Democrats are now on the side of Main Street against Wall Street? I must have blinked and missed the switch.

    Pick your poison. No reform, GOP style. Or faux-reform, Democratic style.

  • allthingsinaname

    They think they will lose their manhood if they cooperate. What they do not understand is that they never had it.

  • Tom in The Swamp

    In addition, NRCC spokesman Andy Sere has come out in support of the Republican teabagger thugs attacking Rep. Andy Periello’s family.

    http://digg.com/d31MbgM

  • sacredh

    The midterms should be interesting. I still think how the Teabagger’s protests gets covered could swing quite a few elections. Whether they unite or divide the republicans is the key. I can see they republicans throwing in with them if they take the chance on swinging even further to the right. It’s hard to imagine the Teabaggers moving toward the center. They’re angry and anger clouds reason.

  • Art Pepper

    Yeah, the Dems haven’t exactly been a lodestar on this issue.

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    Icky really — don’t you have anything more intelligent to offer beyond a Glenn Beck talking point? Clearly, you didn’t do very well with high school civics, otherwise you would know that nothing that is going on here has anything in common with communism or socialism for that matter. Now you can argue over whether the government should have bailed out wall street, but the fact remains we could have stuck to our principals and let there be a depression, we did that once in 1929 and what happened wasn’t pretty so I’m pretty happy that Bush didn’t double down on Herbert Hoover. Frankly, when the economic downturn took place last year I lost 50% of my 401k, all I know is that now, I’ve gotten back about 90% of what I loss and it is still growing. So as far as I’m concerned this administration is doing the right thing for the economy. In 90 days I will be able to buy health insurance from a private company because they can no longer prevent me from doing so based on my preexisting condition. Now you can continue to live in the fantasy world brought to you by fox news or you can pay attention to the fact that this administration is solving problems of real people and that CAN DO attitude is what being an American is really all about. But it’s your choice — you go ahead and hold on to all of your fake outrage because we live in a fee country and you can be as stupid as you want in American.

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    I guess we’ve already forgotten the lesson of health reform. The house already passed its financial reform — the Senate is up next. It was always the plan of this administration to take up financial regulation after health care. Politically it makes the most sense. first historic victory on health then ride that success into financial regulation where the public feels no sympathy for the industry and ride into 2010 on the wings of angels as Democrats take up the sword on behalf of the taxpayers and Republicans get stuck defending the dragons — with America’s short attention span and notorious short term memory, it make sense to me to time it this way. My God why are we so quick to put down our side. If we learn anything from Republicans it ought to be their reluctance to ever publicly denounce one another. Perhaps we can show a little discipline here and stop being so quick to drop kick Democrats.

  • kathy

    The Republicans started to believe their own talking point, that “the American people” didn’t want health care reform.

    They have such a wonderfully narrow view of the American people

    It’s entirely possible the Democrats will snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory, but they’ll have to work at it, in some places anyway.

    Everyone seems to have missed how much a candidate’s personality affects the vote. I would had to hold my nose to vote for Martha Coakley. Democrats need to find articulate, agile, amiable, warm candidates. That’s what the Republicans did in Massachusetts.

  • http://fourlegsrgood.wordpress.com fourlegsgood

    I’m sure this is good news for McCain!! /snark

    Seriously though, their obstruction is having one, great unintended consequence. The democratic caucus has united for a change and is determined to actually get some things done.

    I’m happy to see “republicans are in disarray!!” stories for a change. I just can’t believe they’re backing the banks – and Corker’s hands aren’t clean either – he opposes regulation on “pay day lenders” of all freaking things.

    WTF?

  • grape_crush

    Might as well summarize the teabagger responses up front:

    “Republicns dont need concern troling from lefty liberul communist Isreal-hating dum-o-crat fascits like JOE KLIEN or bob CoWE MUST say no to Muslim socalism rooining the grate FREEDOM our Founding FATHTERS wanted us to have. ALSO.”

    More seriously, I wonder if this outburst of reason on Corker’s part will get him labeled a RINO by the teabagger crowd. How quick do you think Corker would change his tune if someone like Rush Limbaugh calls him out for what he said in that quote?

  • razionaltinker

    From now on refer to “THEM” as the Republican Taliban.
    Thank you.

  • Tom in The Swamp

    I’ll stick with “Republican Teabaggers”.

    It’s accurate:
    .

    A new Quinnipiac national poll provides us a detailed look into the composition of the nascent tea party movement. The conclusion? It looks a lot like the Republican party.

    .
    ..and it’s good political messaging.

  • Ivy_B

    This was the plan and continues to be the plan. I found this article on McConnell very telling.

    Before the health care fight, before the economic stimulus package, before President Obama even took office, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader, had a strategy for his party: use his extensive knowledge of Senate procedure to slow things down, take advantage of the difficulties Democrats would have in governing and deny Democrats any Republican support on big legislation.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/us/politics/17mcconnell.html?scp=3&sq=mcconnell%20health%20care&st=cse

  • FlownOver

    Feed not the trolls, particularly those of the guano-mad variety. Their appetite cannot be assuaged.

  • notfooledbydistractions

    The republican strategy?

    We’re pouting because we lost, now we’re taking our ball and going home.

    Robert Gibbs nailed it. This type of stuff isn’t tollerable from a 6 year old, and it’s really pathetic coming from grown men.

    I wouldn’t count all those Nov. election chickens just yet retreads, this crap may play well with your venomous 20%, but outside your echo chamber the party looks pretty pathetic.

  • http://ib42.wordpress.com ib42

    Starting with bush/cheney/s headlong dash into the murderous attack on Iraq, not being able or willing to think reasonably about their agenda is an outstanding characteristic of all the right wingnuts.
    This might turn out to be a good thing for America. Learning from the previous administration’s rape of this country’s well being and growth, sensible citizens should be horrified at the rpublican’s despicable behaviour and speech towards Mr. Obama and the Democratic government..and America
    Ignoring weeds in a garden is not enough.They must be removed by the roots, then the garden treated appropriately, if it is to flourish and produce good things.

  • nibblybits

    It seems pretty clear what the Republicans are doing: trying to steal the Wall Street campaign donors and make them switch their allegiance from Dems to Repubs. Didn’t Boehner already go plead his case?
    .
    You would think it would be a simple narrative of Wall Street vs. Main Street, but it’s funny how narratives can so easily be manipulated. After all, go ask regular folk or tea partiers, who is responsible for TARP? For deficit spending? For the bailout of AIG?
    .
    For folks who are familiar with the timeline, Bush is responsible for all of it but that’s not the answer you’re going to get from the regular joe.

  • aussifaire

    OBAMA & DEMS SEEKING ILLEGAL/UNCONSTITUTIONAL ATTEMPT TO TURN USA INTO DICTATORSHIP & ILLEGAL PROTECTION FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS & MORE….

    IF THE USA DOESN’T FORCE THE DEMS TO REPEAL THIS HEALTHCARE THIS IS WHAT AWATS THE PUBLIC

    THE USA PUBLIC WILL BE FORCED TO PAY for healthcare BY

    1. HAVING THEIR FAMILIES/VETS & CHILDREN DEPRIVED OF MEDS INDEFINTELY & HEALTHCARE
    2. USA PARENTS/PUBLIC being BRANDED INT’L CRIMINALS & JAILED IF after being deprived MEDS & HEALTHCARE the USA PUBLIC SEEKS TO FIND HEALTHCARE FOR THEMSELVES OR THEIR CHILDREN WITHIN OR WITHOUT THE USA BORDERS.

    WHY DO THE INSURERS WANT IT —-NO ONE IN PUBLIC WILL BE GETTING MEDS OR HEALTHCARE —they & dems just POCKET THE MORE EXPENSIVE CASH FROM PUBLIC WHILE PUBLIC LEFT STRANDED WITHOUT MEDS.

    WHY??….

    SO….To the present it’s only one of the 1 % group of people attempting to destroy our Nation’s economic systems.

    WHY??? It was said to a WASH DC VIP—that the reason the Socialists think they will win this time and are doing this is because ACLU and their DEMS SLUGS — they don’t think American’s are ” smart enough” to care to let their fingers do the walking to protect their lands, their CONSTITUTION or their freedoms. The DEMS and ACLU don’t think the 99% of American’s will be ‘smart enough” to CARE about their country, their homes, their small business enough to kick the WASH DC SLUGS out and send them packing by way of Balagovich for NOT doing what is right to protect PUBLIC freedoms and the free enterprise system (ie meaning small business/med business) and rights.

    seek legislative and LEGAL action to get SOC HEALTHCARE & stimulus and bailout kicked out see AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE OR GOOGLE the problems with socialized health care OR GOOGLE handsoffmyhealth.org OR GOOGLE bigGovhealth.org OR stoptheaclu.com OR Health science institute OR familysecuritymatters.org OR Alliance Defense

  • apr2563

    And please, please do not feed Aussie. It takes too much time to scroll PAST his postings.

  • http://derekg.wordpress.com/ Derek

    I’ve never seen them this obstructionist before. I wonder what is so different about this Democratic president than the ones who preceded him? He certainly isn’t a progressive.

    Hmmmmmmm.

  • razionaltinker

    Hmmmmmmmm. Good one. Lack of mirror image, you think???zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

  • Ffred

    Squeeeeel like a pig!

  • featsofclaymore

    As long as the stench of Republican testosterone is in the air, why not bring back the arcane practice of duelling?
    The most righteously outraged senators could square off in an “honorable” match of courage and resolve, firing deadly lead balls at each other rather than wimpy epithets.
    Why bait those Tea Party lackies to smash the office windows of your foes, when it could be so much more personally satisfying (given you actually survive the exchange) to put down your opponent once and for all?

    It could be televised on CSPAN.
    Twice a day.

  • http://napper1.wordpress.com napper1

    Kathy, you are right, Republicans do have a narrow view of the “american public”. In their minds the public is white, middle class, eductaed, professional people….you know, the kind that they see every day in the exclusive enclaves in which they live. Theyy really haven’t come to the conclusion that the majority os us don’t fit that mold and are more concerned about having a job, making enough to raise our kids, take care of our aging parents, and maybe save a couple of bucks for retirement tha we are about inheritance taxes, capital gains, or our investment portfolios.
    Today. like never before, our political party lines are drawn along the lines of class, for lack of a better word. It’s an “us” against “them” paradigm and not a “we” thing. What I can’t understand is why good, solid working people would side with a party that wouldn’t have them live in the same neighborhoods or join the same clubs as the party leaders. Amazing!

  • http://napper1.wordpress.com napper1

    How about an ultimate fighting cage match? I’d pay big bucks to see Nacy Pelosi and Mitch “The Briuser” McConnel go at it! As a matter of fact, I’d pay big bucks to take a shot at Semator Shelby myself! Ha!

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