Shutdown!

[lil mike]

I knew you'd like that! This is the funny part:

Harry Reid: “The plan Republicans are floating today sounds like a modified version of what Democrats were talking about. We’re glad they think it’s a good idea, but we should keep our focus on what we need to do to cut spending and keep our economy growing in the long term,”

Charles Schumer: "They feared a government shutdown, and so they are adopting some of our suggestions on what to cut."

The programs cut included some Obama didn't want or see necessary any more, duplications, and so on....

Don't you think any cuts Obama suggested they were going to take anyway?  Of course, if that is enough for you determine that this was a Republican defeat, I'm OK with that.  The Republicans get to cut, and the Democrats get to claim victory without getting anything they want.

[Howey]

Don't you think any cuts Obama suggested they were going to take anyway?  Of course, if that is enough for you determine that this was a Republican defeat, I'm OK with that.  The Republicans get to cut, and the Democrats get to claim victory without getting anything they want.

I'm more than willing to give Republicans credit for shifting their demands and adopting Dem's ideas about cuts. That's called bipartisanship.

According to Tim Pawlenty, though, the process ends March 18th. He and the future president, Newt, believe a shutdown is necessary.

deja vu!

[ekg]

I'm more than willing to give Republicans credit for shifting their demands and adopting Dem's ideas about cuts. That's called bipartisanship.

According to Tim Pawlenty, though, the process ends March 18th. He and the future president, Newt, believe a shutdown is necessary.

deja vu!

and 80% of R want a shut down..

The partisan differences are striking. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Democrats prefer avoiding a shutdown by going with current spending levels. But 80% of Republicans -- and 59% of voters not affiliated with either major party -- think a shutdown is a better option until the two sides can agree on spending cuts.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/february_2011/58_favor_government_shutdown_until_spending_cuts_are_agreed_upon
 

granted, that is a GOP-slanted Rasmussen poll.. the rest of the country feels the opposite..

Potentially most helpful to Democrats is the finding that, by 60% to 32%, more Americans want legislators who share their views on the budget to agree on a compromise budget rather than hold out for a budget they mostly agree with, which would trigger a government shutdown after March 4.

Republicans may have hoped that the potential of a government shutdown would pressure Democrats to accept deeper spending cuts than they have to date. However, the finding that most Americans are averse to a shutdown could ultimately strengthen Democrats' bargaining power

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146315/Neither-Party-Edge-Federal-Budget-Dealings.aspx

but those bat-shit crazy tea party repubs are just licking their lips in anticipation.. Newt has them believing they can win a shutdown this time because Obama's ears are too big and his wife is too fat to tell us what we should eat.

or something..

[Howey]

Newt has them believing

THAT is why I'm not worried about our country in the long term. Anyone who would fall for Newt's BS is as certifiable as he is. Did you see Mr. Divorce/Affair/Divorce/Affair is having a conniption over Obama's statement on DOMA?

Wouldn't it be great to see a Gingrich/Palin ticket next year!

Comedy gold!

[Howey]

and 80% of R want a shut down..
granted, that is a GOP-slanted Rasmussen poll..

Hah!

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/02/28/do-we-believe-this-rasmussen-poll-on-a-government-shutdown.aspx

Do We Believe this Rasmussen Poll on a Government Shutdown?Posted Monday, February 28, 2011 11:12 AM | By David Weigel

I like that Rasmussen Reports polls on breaking news questions. I don't like it when the phrasing of the poll questions looks like it gooses the results. But just as he did last week, Scott Rasmussen is out with a poll on a political impasse that 1) ends up looking good for Republicans and 2) gets there by framing the question in a way that benefits Republicans.

The headline from the poll:

58% Favor Government Shutdown Until Spending Cuts Are Agreed Upon

That's a clear victory for the GOP, clearer than the 48-38 margin in support of Scott Walker's budget stance that Rasmussen found last week. But how does he get there? This is the fifth of five questions.

1* How closely have you followed recent news reports about the federal budget debate in Congress?

2* Will the spending cuts proposed by Congressional Republicans significantly reduce federal spending and deficits or will they have little impact on overall levels of spending and deficits?

3* Congress never passed a budget for 2011, but authorized spending for a few months. That authorization will expire soon and Congress must act quickly or some federal government services could be shut down. As Congress authorizes spending for the rest of 2011, should they authorize spending at the same levels as last year, authorize less spending than last year, or authorize more spending than last year?

4* If Democrats and Republicans fail to reach a budget agreement soon, there will be a partial shutdown of the federal government. Payments for things like Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment benefits would continue, but some federal government services could be shut down until an agreement is reached. Would a partial shutdown of the federal government be good for the economy, bad for the economy, or have no impact on the economy?

5* Would you rather have Congress avoid a government shutdown by authorizing spending at the same levels as last year or would you rather have a partial government shutdown until Democrats and Republicans can agree on what spending to cut? 

So before someone is asked whether he supports a shutdown, he is told that the shutdown will not affect Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment benefits; he is not told what other services "could be" shut down. He's told that there are three options -- authorize spending at the same levels as last year, authorize less spending than last year, or authorize more spending than last year, but then he's told that the shutdown will be avoided "by authorizing spending at the same levels as last year."

But no one is proposing* spending at the same levels as last year. The CR we're talking about is one that Republicans in the House supported first and the Democratic Senate is grudgingly accepting. I'm not sure how useful this poll is for gauging possible support for a shutdown.

[lil mike]

I'm more than willing to give Republicans credit for shifting their demands and adopting Dem's ideas about cuts. That's called bipartisanship.

According to Tim Pawlenty, though, the process ends March 18th. He and the future president, Newt, believe a shutdown is necessary.

deja vu!

A two week extension, with 4 billion in cuts?  If they keep doing continuing resolutions like that... 

I hope Obama keeps hammering the GOP with those cuts!   Yeah, force them to take more cuts!