

Time for House Republicans to get serious and negotiate

5:20 PM, Dec. 23, 2012  |  Comments
  • Filed Under

Many Americans are inclined to blame all sides equally for failure in Washington. But if Republicans keep acting as they have this week - walking away from deficit-reduction talks with President Obama so they could fail in their quest to ram through a "Plan B" on party lines - they will find the blame falling squarely on their shoulders.

The "fiscal cliff" is growing closer by the day with no progress on a solution since last weekend. Meanwhile, Speaker John Boehner's forced decision to pull his Plan B from consideration Thursday night and his nearly substance-free press conference Friday were embarrassments.

The irony is that Republicans could have gotten a much more advantageous deal back in 2011, when Obama's hand was weak and he was willing to sign off on all manner of cuts to popular spending programs. But that wasn't good enough. House Republican wouldn't raise taxes, even modestly, and some didn't want to reduce the deficit before an election when they could use it to blame Obama.

Now that Obama's position is considerably strengthened, the GOP strategy is?.well, who knows?

House Republicans are boxed in by purity oaths and could face primary election challenges from the right in 2014. They have failed to convince the public to be angry at Obama for the sin of being twice elected and trying to negotiate compromises on the pressing issues of the day.

Whatever Republicans are thinking now, they should stop. Their inability to reach a consensus with Democrats (or even themselves) is doing no favors for the economy or the stock market, which was selling off Friday.

The fiscal cliff is no small matter. If it can't be avoided, the nation will likely head toward another recession and United States will see its standing diminished further in foreign capitals and among global investors. It is not something that can be approached with small ideas and small-minded lawmakers.

Nor are Republicans doing any favors for themselves. Their stridency is electing Democrats. At least five easily winnable Senate seats in the last two elections have gone to Democrats after the GOP insisted on nominees well out of the mainstream. Obama won re-election despite sky-high unemployment thanks in part to the troubles with the Republican brand.

Now Republicans, at least those in the House of Representatives, seem intent on doing more harm to the party's image. It's time for them to stop. If their goal is to push the country in a more conservative direction, intransigence is not a good strategy.

Which performance impressed you most?

Retrieving results.
75 votes
38 votes

Real Deals






sign up for home delivery today