Tuesday, June 05, 2012

STILL WAITING PATIENTLY FOR M.O.R. MITT TO SHOW UP

I just got through telling you that Ezra Klein is being ridiculously naive if he seriously thinks President Romney and a GOP Congress would take a semi-Keynesian approach to our economic crisis -- and now what do I see buried on the last page of this Politico story?

... POLITICO has learned that top Romney aides last week met privately with influential members of the conservative Republican Study Committee, home to most tea party members of Congress. Participants said the campaign was looking to co-opt some ideas from congressional conservatives. More meetings are scheduled for the coming days and weeks.

"They've reached out to myself, Jim [Jordan] and others to have some sort of coordination of policies and ideas," said Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.), a leading candidate to chair the RSC next in 2012. "Because Romney recognizes there are a lot of good ideas within the Republican conference coming from conservatives. So why not field some of those ideas and bring those into his agenda and his platform?"


The budget proposals of the Republican Study Committee are to the right of Paul Ryan's proposals (e.g., a 47% cut in Medicaid funding to the states by 2022). Here's what was said about the budget plan the RSC put forward in 2011 by, um, Ezra Klein:

But reading their legislation, you can see why more experienced members of their party might balk: $30 billion in savings omes from immediately selling off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which would potentially throw a weak housing market into total chaos. Another $16 billion comes from repealing the help the federal government is giving states to handle Medicaid costs, which would potentially send a couple of states that are already teetering on the edge of bankruptcy right over the cliff.

Oh, and it was an RSC staffer who, as the debt ceiling debacle approached resolution, was sending out e-mails urging right-wing groups to lobby against the deal, even as John Boehner was urging passage.

Sorry, Ezra -- Mitt may tap his memory bank for mainstream economic ideas when he's talking to a guy from Time magazine, but he's still looking to go hardcore -- it's as if he still hasn't completed his wingnut gang initiation -- and I think it's a safe bet that that's how he's going to govern.

3 comments:

BH said...

Let's say, for the hell of it, that Klein is right (and I think he's damfool wrong, for the reasons you laid out). "No worse than Reagan or Bush" is plenty bad enough for me. It wasn't due to Reagan's or Bush's kindliness that any kind of social safety net survived their administrations; it was due to Democratic opposition in Congress, then strong enough to force at least some concessions.

Victor said...

They'll implement the Privatizing Ryan's Plan fast.
And then when it tanks, they'll blame it on Obama and the Democrats - particularly if the do some of the opposition tricks the R's have mastered.
D's will be called obstructionists as the R's try to keep the Congress in '14.

Then, maybe a year before to the '16 Presidential, with the economy near, or in, the shitter, they'll come up with some sort of stimulus package to goose the economy prior to the election.
Only it won't be called a stimulus package, it'll be called, "The Ronald Maximus Reagan, 'It's Morning In Feckin' America Again!,' So Let's Get Back To Work, So We Can Keep The Terrorists At Bay, Conservative Build-up America For Americans Act!"

That's if most of us will still be allowed to vote, and not take "Representative Democracy" to where they want it taken to - 'Representative Voting,' where a Conservative in each area will cast the votes for thousands of voters.
Why, of course for Republicans, you silly people you!
Who else?
We must have unanimous elections to show the world that we're all in this together, and no longer a nation divided by left v. right - but the nation where might makes right, and right makes might! Hang in there, it'll be all RIGHT in the end!

Steve M. said...

They'll implement the Privatizing Ryan's Plan fast.
And then when it tanks, they'll blame it on Obama and the Democrats


Or just start a war. Or gin up some scandal involving blacks, Muslims, gays, Planned Parenthood, or ideally all four.