Posted on 01/07/2013 4:15:49 PM PST by SJackson
The Republicans need a new strategy for their upcoming negotiations with President Obama. The last round, they had a distinct disadvantage where doing nothing would have led to a terrible consequence, namely everyone’s taxes going up. With these negotiations behind us, we no longer have the sun setting on good policy, which requires action for it to continue. We now have 3 events that are coming in the first quarter of 2013 which will allow for more reasonable negotiations. The “sequester” (automatic cuts in defense and other departments), the “debt ceiling” (increasing borrowing authority for the government), and the end of the “Continuing Resolution” (aka CR, that funds the government daily). Of these opportunities, republicans should use the CR to make their stand.
All of the media is talking about the debt ceiling as the big showdown. The last negotiations were bad PR for republicans in 2011. They were also quickly followed by a credit downgrade of US debt by the rating agencies. It is popular belief that the status of the negotiations in Washington, and the dysfunction of these discussions, is what led to the downgrade. In fact, the lack of seriousness of the President to deal with our debt problem is what led to the downgrade. Using the debt ceiling to be the threat, will only continue to have people wrongly looking at the process not the true problem. Republicans should raise it enough for a year of deficit, and take default out of the discussion.
Democrats were looking to delay the sequester, which gives republicans an advantage in this area. It is likely that the democrats will agree to different cuts to avoid this, but if not $500 billion over 10 years will be cut out of defense. Republicans should be prepared to let the cuts stand. It is roughly 10% of the defense budget. If Republicans are serious about shrinking the government, they should be willing to cut this much out of the defense budget. We won WWII 67 years ago, we can start by bringing troops home from Germany and Japan.
This leaves the CR for Republicans to make their stand. If the President doesn’t agree to entitlement spending cuts that will be phased in over time, in order to save our country, let the government shut down. This will accomplish the following… •No one can report that the republicans are risking the first possible default on US Treasuries. •If a credit downgrade comes, it will not be because there is a risk that we will not pay our bills, it will be because we are borrowing too much, and the president is not serious about addressing spending cuts. •The negative PR from the government shutdown of 1995-96 had many different scenarios at play. It was heading into a presidential election year which had the senate majority leader running against the sitting president. This shutdown would be 3+ years from a presidential election, current leader McConnell is not running for higher office, and neither is the President. •We would actually save money during the shutdown, and cutting costs is the point. •It would fire up a disheartened conservative base. •It would highlight the real differences between the parties, not focus on credit worthiness. •Non essential functions are shut down. Maybe they can stay that way.
There is only one party in Washington who is serious about cutting spending, but it needs to be made clear to the American people. The president keeps talking about reducing spending, but never seems to have any cuts in his plans. The best way to highlight this is letting the CR end on its expiration date of March 27, unless the President approves meaningful cuts. If the government shuts down due to this standoff it will not roil world markets, we will not default on our debt, and it will highlight the different philosophies in Washington D. C.
A situation caused explicitly by Mitch McConnell's July 2011 "Super Committee" compromise during the debt ceiling fiasco.
LOL
The new strategy could be for the Republicans to just go away and give a little breathing room to another or new political party interested in personal freedom, liberty and winning elections.
LOL! My thoughts exactly.
How about we just SHUT DOWN the National Institute of Justice tomorrow. Check out the squandered money awarded in 2011...here...
http://www.nij.gov/funding/awards/2011-table.htm
It’s just 1 agency in a multitude of agencies in 1 department, the Department of Justice...here...
http://www.justice.gov/agencies/index-list.html#CRS
We can shut down another money wasting agency on Wednesday...and Thursday...and Friday...and every day for the remainder of the year.
BIG GOVERNMENT IS CRONY SOCIALISM
Socialists have plundered America long enough.
$top $pending
Excellent article, and the right strategy.
Obama’s Communist Agenda for Amerika is being rapidly accepted by all who fear his brutal might.
Obama’s Communist Agenda for Amerika is being rapidly accepted by all who fear his brutal might.
SOURCE: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=84809
Government Shutdown: 12 Things That Would & Wouldn’t Happen
Here’s what would and wouldn’t be affected if Congress can’t come to an agreement by the deadline:
What would be shut down or curtailed
Veterans services
During the last government shutdown 15 years ago, many veterans services were cut back, from health and welfare to finance and travel.
Parks and museums
National parks and museums would shut down and lose revenue from patrons.
In the last shutdowns in late 1995 and early 1996, the government closed 368 National Park Service sites, along with national museums and monuments.
Passports
Those seeking passports or other documents would not be able to do so.
During the last shutdown, 200,000 passport applications went unprocessed. In addition, the tourism industry and airlines reportedly suffered millions of dollars in losses.
Social Security
During the last shutdown, the Social Security Administration kept enough staff in place to ensure benefits were paid out, but new claims weren’t processed. As the shutdown wore on, the agency recalled workers to start processing new claims.
Government employees
A shutdown would result in the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal employees. While on furlough, federal employees won’t receive a paycheck, and neither will government contractors. Federal employees will eventually receive back-pay, but contractors won’t be so lucky.
States
Federal funds to states would be cut off, leaving states already in a cash crunch to somehow fill the gap.
Law enforcement and legal services
During the last shutdown, delays occurred in the processing of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives applications by the ATF. Federal agencies suspended work on more than 3,500 bankruptcy cases and canceled recruitment and testing of federal law enforcement officials.
What would be kept running
National security
President Obama has the discretion to keep certain government functions operating, especially when they are essential to keeping the nation safe, including the military, coast guard, foreign relations staff, border patrol and other national security officials.
The U.S. Postal Service wouldn’t be affected and mail would still be delivered.
Transportation
Air traffic controllers would remain on the job.
Prisons
There would be no change to federal prison staff.
Disaster/Emergency services
Emergency and disaster assistance personnel would also be at work.
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IMHO, a shutdown wouldn’t really be that bad at all. We will in fact, begin to appreciate how many USELESS and NON-ESSENTIAL things the Federal Government has taken on itself.
We can start by CUTTING THESE.
The Federal Government (all three branches) manufacture these “crisis moments” then claim that only they can solve the “crisis”, just to take more freedoms from the citizens and give more power to the bankers and international business’ and themselves. They are only interested in one thing...control of the “masses” meaning us.
The only thing that will come out of all these “negotiations” is that “we the people” will get to pay more taxes and the ruling elite will get richer.
This corruption goes very deep, and is in every country on the planet. The only hope we have is in Jesus return to destroy these corrupt goverments, world wide.
That is why we need to be spreading the gospel (good news) that as the bible says, 1) there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. 2) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father except through me”. 3) God has said “woe to those who put their trust in the arm of man”.
We must put our trust in Jesus, and be about the Fathers business till He comes.
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