The end of one crisis, the start of another

[ProSense]

The end of one crisis, the start of another

By Steve Benen

In December 2010, congressional Republicans forced a contentious fight over tax policy, threatening to raise middle-class taxes and hurt the economy unless Democrats agreed to extend tax breaks for the wealthy. Four months later, the GOP very nearly forced a government shutdown...In July 2011, congressional Republicans instigated a debt-ceiling crisis, nearly forcing a default and global economic catastrophe, demanding steep spending cuts as a ransom. Three months later, the GOP threatened another government shutdown.

In April 2012, Republicans threatened to force yet another government shutdown, which was followed by the fiscal standoff that wasn't resolved until last night.

The point, of course, is that congressional Republicans are quite comfortable moving from one manufactured, self-imposed crisis to another, resolving one only to immediately pivot to the next, no matter the costs or consequences. It's become a terrifying m.o. that makes routine governing nearly impossible...And yet, so long as Republicans control part of Washington, the pattern will continue. Indeed, the stage is already set for the next crisis, which is now just two months away.

I'm referring, of course, to the one thing President Obama has said he will not budge on: the next debt-ceiling increase.

- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/01/02/16304290-the-end-of-one-crisis-the-start-of-another

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I say give Boner his entitlement cuts.

The key will be Boehner's arbitrary dollar-for-dollar rule on debt-ceiling increases -- for every dollar the limit goes up, the Speaker expects another dollar in savings. By this reasoning, Boehner seriously expects Democrats to agree to another $1.5 trillion in spending cuts -- independent of the sequester, the Budget Control Act, and the next budget fight -- sometime between now and the end of February.

Like here--
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/congress-pushes-for-weapons-pentagon-didnt-want/nRC7w/

Posted: 12:00 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012
Congress pushes for weapons Pentagon didn’t want
2 18 5 282
By Josh Sweigart
Staff Writer
The Pentagon, which is facing end-of-year cuts that it says could cripple its ability to fight future wars, may spend billions in coming years on weapons systems and programs it says it doesn’t need but are favored by area members of Congress.
The Dayton Daily News analyzed proposed defense budgets for 2013 and identified five programs that Ohio’s congressional delegation is fighting for although Pentagon officials have called them unnecessary and unaffordable.
Critics say these big-ticket items are earmarks in disguise, using the Department of Defense budget for economic stimulus. They also point out that the multi-million dollar contracts are awarded to major campaign contributors.
Defenders of these programs say the Pentagon isn’t flawless, and sometimes doesn’t budget for things it needs. Plus, without the money, lawmakers say Ohio could lose thousands of jobs. The five projects favored by Ohio politicians that are under scrutiny:
- The Global Hawk Block 30 drone program;
- The C-27J Spartan cargo aircraft;
- Upgrades to the M1 Abrams tank;
- Air National Guard funding;
- A proposed East Coast missile defense system.

And the Oil Depletion Allowance.

And any number of subsidies to profitable corporations.

[madokie]

2. They will not allow the President his due

anything and everything they can do to stop him from doing any good for us the people they're going to stop. It ought to be illegal if it isn't already.

[octoberlib]

3. Considering Boehner and Cantor voted 19 times to raise

the debt ceiling during Bush's presidency without demanding one cent in spending cuts because they saw it as good for the economy, they shouldn't have a problem with it now. Oh right....... a republican isn't president.

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/04/14/158424/republican-leaders-debt-limit-hypocrisy/