Monday, March 11, 2013

Entitlement front: it's a put-on

Here's Stephen Hayes in the Weekly Standard reviewing the President's dinner with Republicans:
The White House screwed up the sequester fight, the president’s approval ratings are dropping, heretofore-friendly reporters are criticizing his failure to lead, and, while Obama remains relatively unconcerned about debt and deficits, he recognizes the political utility of reaching out to Republicans now in order to demonize them once again in the months leading up to the 2014 midterm elections. In short, it’s a setup.
That's my sense also.  This is all about the "optics" for Obama.  Entitlement reform is something he believes in the abstract when it strokes his ego as "bravely going against his own party" but it never arrives.  According to off-the-record accounts of the big dinner, when pressed on the need to take the lead on this very issue Obama searched for excuses to take action.

It's foolish to think that Obama will be an honest reformer for entitlements, which will swallow every penny of tax revenues in a few decades.  He won't do it.

10 comments:

Tommy said...

I have the same sense, that Obama is losing the sequester debate and the Republicans are winning it, and things are turning around. Then again, I'm a deaf, dumb and blind kid.

Eric said...

Obama on his budget: "I can't explain."

Baba O'Ryan said...

The GOP's plan for reforming Medicare and Social Security: "Hope I die before I get old."

Eric said...

Obama on taxes: "Who's next?"

Join together with the Rand said...

The GOP on tax breaks for the rich: "Not To Be Taken Away."

Eric said...

Obama, who can't produce a budget, on careening from one fiscal crisis to another: "Pinball Wizard."

Pictures of Lilly Ledbetter said...

The RNC's latest outreach policy to women voters: "We forsake you, gonna rape you, let’s forget you better still."

Eric said...

Given the debt load, it's also the Democrats policy to future generations: men and women alike.

You debtor you debtor you debt said...

Shouldn't that be g-g-g-generations?

Eric said...

Hmmm...yes. Talkin' 'bout.