There will be no shortage of discussion on how, in the end, Obama sold out progressive values to the most far-right wing extremists to ever control Congress. The simple truth is: the handwriting was on the wall and everyone should have seen it coming from the get-go.
Here's the reality. The Tea Party extremists that control the Republican Party made one point clear from the start: There would be no compromise. They made it clear they were shutting down the United States government's ability to pay it's bills and other obligations. They would do this unless the President and Democrats in Congress gave them what they wanted or a no turning back way to trigger a plan that would avoid a traditional Congressional review of their draconian cuts in the social safety net.
This was their rock solid threat. The never once hinted that any compromise was in their game plan.
What did Obama do? He repeatedly advertised his biggest weakness: He repeatedly told us the ability of the government to continue issuing debt and to pay it's bills must not be disrupted. Default must be avoided at all cost. In other words, he told the Tea Party you can "hold me hostage and in the end I will fold. I will fold because my ultimate goal in this charade is to avoid default."
Once this message became clear the Tea Party wackos knew once and for all that if they held out in this disgusting game of chicken, President Obama didn't have a weak hand, he had no hand. He was committed to fold because it became the only way he could avoid default. Game, set, match-point Obama loses. So do the American People. Most importantly, so does any concept that America is a progressive nation that cares about providing a social safety net for its people.
From this day forward, I am sorry to say, it's every man, woman, and child for themselves. You're on your own. Thank you President Barack Obama. Thank you for nothing.
Here's the reality. The Tea Party extremists that control the Republican Party made one point clear from the start: There would be no compromise. They made it clear they were shutting down the United States government's ability to pay it's bills and other obligations. They would do this unless the President and Democrats in Congress gave them what they wanted or a no turning back way to trigger a plan that would avoid a traditional Congressional review of their draconian cuts in the social safety net.
This was their rock solid threat. The never once hinted that any compromise was in their game plan.
What did Obama do? He repeatedly advertised his biggest weakness: He repeatedly told us the ability of the government to continue issuing debt and to pay it's bills must not be disrupted. Default must be avoided at all cost. In other words, he told the Tea Party you can "hold me hostage and in the end I will fold. I will fold because my ultimate goal in this charade is to avoid default."
Once this message became clear the Tea Party wackos knew once and for all that if they held out in this disgusting game of chicken, President Obama didn't have a weak hand, he had no hand. He was committed to fold because it became the only way he could avoid default. Game, set, match-point Obama loses. So do the American People. Most importantly, so does any concept that America is a progressive nation that cares about providing a social safety net for its people.
From this day forward, I am sorry to say, it's every man, woman, and child for themselves. You're on your own. Thank you President Barack Obama. Thank you for nothing.
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