tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3412583847145043520.post5374107177854883382..comments2024-03-27T19:01:21.504-06:00Comments on Enik Rising: Brinksmanship and the debt ceilingSeth Maskethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17178036016555722068noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3412583847145043520.post-34422537409718991222011-07-29T04:26:33.529-06:002011-07-29T04:26:33.529-06:00open the ark, that is.open the ark, that is.marc's typonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3412583847145043520.post-25350920935883463962011-07-29T04:24:41.210-06:002011-07-29T04:24:41.210-06:00I wonder to what degree we're hostages of the ...I wonder to what degree we're hostages of the beltway definitions of winning. A few weeks ago it did seem like this was a purely political game, since it was hard to really believe that either side was willing to let the US default. The bazooka and the ark, indeed. 72 hours from the end of the world, though, winning means not political points, but victory in the very real fight for reason over insanity. The metaphor has inverted: Indy is now legitimately threatening to pen the ark. Actually, no, I don't like this, because that makes the rest of us German soldiers. Boehner is definitely Admiral Akbar though.marcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3412583847145043520.post-17002803199713902472011-07-28T18:16:56.959-06:002011-07-28T18:16:56.959-06:00"I've heard some Democrats complain that ..."I've heard some Democrats complain that Obama is getting rolled or that he's not 'winning the argument,' but it's really not clear what that means."<br /><br />One obvious measure would be policy goals achieved. Republicans supposedly want large spending cuts, and are apparently getting it. Democrats want spending on the poor and elderly protected, and may NOT be getting that.<br /><br />Another measure, taking things back one level from policy, might be control of the conversation -- who is setting the agenda. Who decided that we would be talking about debts and deficit in the first place, especially since the economy is in poor shape and people are still in need. This debate is itself part of the Republican agenda.<br /><br />Continuing that line, who defines what is reasonable? It appears the Republicans do. I recently read that the Democratic proposals are slightly to the right of what the average Republican voter prefers. Yet, according to Republican representatives, this is not something that should get their vote. Will there be even more Democratic concessions to get those votes?<br /><br />The Republican party's reputation is already thoroughly compromised in the minds of all but a few fanatics, so laying some more blame on them is an empty an ephemeral "win". I want concrete advances in policy, not lost ground.Justice Callicleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16972447215508071847noreply@blogger.com