As the Washington Monthly puts it today, the GOP is presenting the Dems with a "target rich environment" for political attacks. The post lists 6 things that the GOP is doing right now that Dems should be able to turn against the Repugs. To me, the strongest options are:
1. Richard Shelby blocking the nominations of 70 Executive Branch appointees until money for military facilities in Alabama is reinserted into the budget.
2. Repeated GOP flailing lies about Obama's handling of the Undiebomber.
3. The GOP aggressively soliciting donations from Wall Street and resisting financial services reform.
These should all be pretty damning, right? The Dems ought to be able to make hay out of these things to hammer the GOP. This leaves me baffled that no matter how ridiculous the GOP acts, these things never stick. I think it boils down to the GOP's outright lies.
This morning, I saw a commercial urging me to call my senators to lobby them against passing the "big bank bailout bill," i.e. the financial services reform bill. It made me fear that the Repugs are going to capture the narrative in this fight, like they did with health care. And, like with health care, they're doing it with lies. Infuriating!
4 comments:
I gotta say, I don't know how much people really get fired up about appointments being held up. My favorite of Washington Monthly's list is:
"Or what Dems really ought to do is go after House Republicans for a budget plan that eliminates Medicare and privatizes Social Security."
Repugs should get SLAMMED for this one.
Honestly, I'm not good at being rational about this stuff. I get way too angry. So, I really hope it comes back to haunt them, but not sure I am capable of making a sound judgement.
Ok, gonna link to TNR again, but here Jonathan Chait suggests Obama might try to lead the Repubs into a "question time" on Health Care, which could go a long way toward myth/lie debunking. Brilliant strategy if it works:
http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-chait/decoding-obamas-health-care-plan
Like the question time approach to health care. Seriously doubt the Republicans would go along with it, though seeing as how they got their collective asses handed to them the last time they tried to take on Obama.
But, Bridget, what options do Dems have. I mean, after all, the Republicans have that overwhelming 41-59 majority in the Senate.
Excuse me while I go outside and scream for the next 8-10 months.
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