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Krauthammer: Republicans Who Cave on Entitlements and Buy Obama’s Promise Are Fools

Nov. 29, 2012 7:09am

Republicans have sounded pessimistic notes over their bargaining power during the period leading up to the so-called fiscal cliff. Some have even called for a strategic rubber stamp of everything the Obama administration wants to do, just so responsibility falls on the heads of the president and his party — so depressed are they over their ability to hold up Obama’s agenda.

As it happens, Charles Krauthammer strenuously disagrees. In a segment on Fox News last night, Krauthammer put the terms of debate in Washington in stark, unequivocal terms.

“Look, Obama has never offered anything in public about entitlements. He always says he wants a discussion. And now he says after the Republicans give up their one issue on taxes, I’ll discuss a bargain next year. Of course he wants that, because that’ll be the time when the Republicans are defrocked, disrobed, and disarmed, and will have nothing to bargain with,” Krauthammer said. ”Republicans started out…by offering a peace pipe, by saying ‘we’ll raise the revenues,’ and they just had a punch in the nose this afternoon. Any Republican who buys this is a fool.”

And what of the argument that Republicans have no leverage?

“They [Democrats] imagine that Republicans have no bargaining power today,” Krauthammer said. “I say it’s true that if Republicans resist, they’ll take the blame, and that will help Democrats in the Congress, but Obama’s never running again. He doesn’t care who gets the blame. He’s gonna be the President. He’s a lame duck. He wants a successful second term. If it starts by going over the cliff, it starts with a second recession, two million unemployed, and a wrecked second term. That’s the leverage that Republicans have over Obama.”

Video follows, courtesy of the Daily Caller:

Krauthammer’s argument certainly carries some weight. While liberals cheer over the fact that President Obama could get every liberal policy under the sun enacted simply by allowing the fiscal cliff to arrive, estimates as to what would happen if America were to actually go over the fiscal cliff have been, to put it mildly, alarming. The Washington Post’s Wonk Blog sums up the three most likely effects as “recession,” “deficit reduction” and “tax increases.” From the section on the potential for a second recession:

Analysts expect that the austerity crisis will weaken the economic recovery and quite possibly plunge the United States back into a recession. The CBO predicts that the U.S. economy will shrink by 0.5 percent in 2013, and unemployment will spike up to 9.1 percent from its current level of 7.9 percent, if no fix is passed. However, if all policies, including the payroll tax cut, are extended, the economy will grow 2.4 percent. Analysts at the Levy Economics Institute and Goldman Sachs have predicted even more dire outcomes.

So while liberals are correct that many of their preferred policies would likely kick in if the fiscal cliff is not averted, the problem is that when those policies kick in, the country will plunge back into a recession. At that point, it is likely that no amount of blaming Bush will be sufficient to avoid political fallout.

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Comments (95)

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  • TRILO
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:34am

    Between Communitstcare and taxes we will be hit with the equivalent of at least 3 employees salaries in increased costs. Not to mention our attorney and tax accountant will make a hefty sum. Because of this salaries will be cut, benefits reduced and some may even lose their jobs. Way to go Democrats. This is real good way to “grow” the economy. Ironically 95% of our employees are democrats so they only have themselves to blame. The business cannot and will not take the hit. Operating capital is crucial.

    The republicans are absolutely useless. The “party” is just about obsolete. If they cave they are history. This country is and has been in a recession. The government does nothing but manipulate the numbers. The fed has been propping up the stock market for years and yet the suckers fall for every lie that spews from the governments forked tongue.

    On an added note – shut the hell up Warren Buffet! You are a typical DC lying hack. All your rhetoric on taxes will not even touch your billions, but it sure sucks to be one of the small business owners who fall into the class warfare target.

    I’m about ready to sell and move to a country that welcomes hard work and business creation. The USA sure does not anymore.

    Report this comment

    TRILO  
    • sbenard
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:49am

      You are John Galt. Ditto for me!

      But where to go? Chile perhaps?

      Report this comment

      sbenard  
    • Pantloadian
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 11:58am

      Don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

      Report this comment

      Pantloadian  
    • DenverKitty
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 3:44pm

      Pick a place and then let me know; I’ll pack.

      Report this comment

      DenverKitty  
    • ThoreauHD
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 11:14pm

      All of these people saying don’t let the door hit you on the way out, might consider that the person posting that your job is about to vanish is your boss. And so I say to you, No, don’t let the door hit you on the way to the bottom.

      I’m also looking at leaving the United States. This is exactly – EXACTLY how my family described the 1900′s in Germany. Same exact tactics. Same exact results. And the outcome, well- you know the outcome. The second anti-Christ burned the World to ash. I’m going to do what they did. Leave before it’s too late.

      Report this comment

      ThoreauHD  
    • SELECT
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 11:47pm

      @ Pantloadian – YOU ARE AN UNINFORMED LIBERAL AND WE WILL ALL SUFFER BECAUSE OF YOUR AND OTHERS LIKE YOU VOTED FOR OZOZO. THE MIDDLE CLASS WILL HAVE TO PAY DOWN THE DEBT. THE WEALTHY ARE NOT THAT RICH. THE MIDDLE CLASS IS WHERE THE MONEY RESIDES.

      Report this comment

      SELECT  
  • Rancher2
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:33am

    Historically everytime Republicans have acquiesced on a promise made by the democrats they have been BAMBOOZLED ! IT IS TIME FOR http://www.GOOOH.COM !!

    Report this comment

    Rancher2  
  • justangry
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:30am

    Do you think the people with power in the GOP care about our Constitution, freedom and sovereignty?

    Report this comment

    justangry  
    • enzomedici
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 9:27am

      They haven’t so far because they overwhelmingly approved The Patriot Act & The NDAA, so any Republican that claims to care about freedom is a complete hypocrite.

      Report this comment

      enzomedici  
    • dfinch
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 4:32pm

      I can’t believe you post such garbage. Obama wants to hand our sovereignty over to the UN. How many bills has he passed by using Executive Order. That’s bypassing the Constitution. He wants to eliminate the 2nd Amendment. Our freedoms are going to be eliminated. Now Obama wants the government to take over 401k’s and IRA’s. They will tell you what you’re money will be invested in and how much you can make off of it. Wait until Obamacare gets put out there…No thank you..I don’t want the government handling any of my decisions.

      Report this comment

      dfinch  
    • justangry
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 5:18pm

      I know what Obama’s doing. You’re in denial that the other half isn’t in favor of it. They don’t have to fund Obama’s brown shirts now do they? As much as you hate Obama, remember who first uttered that hated phrase “New World Order” and his idiot son signing over the US to the UN in case of a pandemic by executive order. The fix is in. The GOP sold us out A LONG TIME AGO.

      Report this comment

      justangry  
  • ArmedAndReallyPissed
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:30am

    Republicans are gutless. Joanne McCain, Linda Graham and Johnny Bon-er are a disgrace.

    Report this comment

    ArmedAndReallyPissed  
  • HKS
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:18am

    That liar in chief is just looking for a little love.

    Report this comment

    HKS  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:05am

    We make an offer to the President who at the same time demands taxes be increased, while Reid demands an unlimited debt ceiling and they both say ‘no compromise’ on anything else.

    Wake up republicans, you are being played like a fiddle.

    Report this comment

    Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • SaturdaysWarrior76
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:02am

    Don’t give 0bama anything! Let the Libs sit in the “crap” they created! Make them own it!

    Report this comment

    SaturdaysWarrior76  
  • jackact
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:02am

    The RINOS have not come to grips yet with the fact that 3 million republicans sat out this past election.
    RINOS are, like Obama, the status quo. They will not change until forced too
    When 6 million republicans remain silent in the 2016 POTUS “We the People” will become one step closer to celebrating their extinction by replacing them with The Conservative Constitutionsl Party.
    History is in the making.
    Help is on the way.

    Report this comment

    jackact  
  • chershaw8
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:53am

    We have a President who has been fed the pablum of Marxism all his life. He has been conditioned to truly believe that it works. He has been told the rich are evil and the poor have been oppressed by them. No amount of conversation will EVER change his mind. We have reelected a brainwashed president. Sir, if you take every cent from those who produce, you make us all slaves in YOUR utopia.

    Report this comment

    chershaw8  
    • The_Jerk
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:08am

      It’s not just this president. H.W. Bush and Jr. were both wealth redistributionists. Before Obama, Jr. Bush was the record holder for spending. Like Krauthammer, they’re fakes, or people not grounded in principle.

      Report this comment

      The_Jerk  
  • TexPat
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:51am

    Republicans that cave into the progressives will lose the election in 2014.

    Report this comment

    TexPat  
  • Marsh626
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:50am

    This coming from the idiot who endorsed amnesty for illegal immigrants.

    Report this comment

    Marsh626  
  • ThePostman
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:49am

    This is what you get when you select a moderate like Romney. A loss.

    Report this comment

    ThePostman  
    • soybomb315_II
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:01am

      yup – as soon as Romney became the ‘presumptive nominee’ another 4 years of progressivism was all but certain

      Report this comment

      soybomb315_II  
    • SaturdaysWarrior76
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:04am

      No this is what we get when Paulbots eiether DON’T VOTE or write in some stupid person’s name who has no chance of winning. Thanks for that by the way!

      Report this comment

      SaturdaysWarrior76  
    • justangry
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:29am

      Hey Saturday, You stand with us “Paulbots” and an originalist interpretation of the Constitution or you stand with the police statist NWO shills. That’s pretty much where we’re at. If your fine with a mixture of global fascism and socialism then settle for the next Bilderberger/CFR stooge the establish R’s tell you to vote for. I mean seriously, you’re upset that we didn’t vote to be a slave and call the Rominee Massa?

      Report this comment

      justangry  
    • soybomb315_II
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:31am

      @Saturday
      Why do republicans think they are entitled to our vote when they nominate liberals?

      Report this comment

      soybomb315_II  
    • longknifed
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 2:22pm

      Lol, sauerkraut should be critiquing himself. But he is just reading his AIPAC script to make it look like we have a real opposition movement to Marxism. In reality, he is just playing his part in silencing the RP liberty movement so that the bipartisan Israel-first policy remains at the forefront. Gotta love these American-based Likudniks.

      Report this comment

      longknifed  
    • PrivateEye
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 6:47pm

      What if the WE, THE PEOPLE did select Romney but the so-called results did not reflect that? Makes the differences between a RINO and whomever seem pretty trivial.

      Report this comment

      PrivateEye  
  • RoaRock
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:48am

    Charles Krauthammer is correct, Obama comes to the table with talk. Harry Reed said yesterday that the spending cuts have already taken place. I think he means the Military cuts, so now big tax increases followed by more tax increases and then recession. The only way to get out of this mess is to stop spending, if you don’t do that we can’t tax enough. It wouldn’t hurt to have a budget, how do you know what the plan is without one?
    Mark my words the middle class will pay in the end, not because of the rich but because of entitlements. Leveling the playing field means we all lose.

    Report this comment

    RoaRock  
    • Caniac Steve
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:00am

      Ask GEorge HW Bush when he fell for the lies from Both Houses of Congress…Get the budget cuts up front FIRST..No mercy,no debate..spending cuts FIRST…as there has been talk of Clinto Era tax rates..ok how about Clinton Spending..and NOT A DIME More..

      Report this comment

      Caniac Steve  
  • ThePostman
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:47am

    There is no point in resisting now. There is no possible way to avoid the nightmare that Ron Paul warned us about for decades. It is here. To resist would only drag out the misery, force Americans to pay interest on a debt that can never be repaid. Better to let it die a respectful death now, and get on with the next phase of America’s existence. Let the fiscal cliff happen. Anything the politicians negotiate is sure to be worse.

    Report this comment

    ThePostman  
  • DZ-015
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:46am

    Krauthammer can be downright irritating at times, but this is not one of them. Caving in now will only set the ‘crats up for a win in 2016. They were the ones who insisted on the timing of the sequestration, and they were the ones who refused to do any negotiation before the election. We need to sit back and let them make the first move now; they only have a month to do it.

    Report this comment

    DZ-015  
  • willingtoupe
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:42am

    They are fools because they want to keep the racism and cave in on the entitlementism.

    Report this comment

    willingtoupe  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:41am

    The majority Americans voted for Obama, give them what they asked for. We’re going off the cliff either way, let Obama own it lock, stock and barrel.

    Report this comment

    Gonzo  
    • Toxic Pirate
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:58am

      I agree with the dog, the idiot Americans voted him in give him everything he asks for, we’re going down regardless, so let the messiah take us there.

      Report this comment

      Toxic Pirate  
    • Pantloadian
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 12:00pm

      I’m sure you’l be equally generous with the credit when the economy continues to accelerate.

      Report this comment

      Pantloadian  
    • Pantloadian
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 12:04pm

      GONZOID . . . “When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the white House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I’m pretty happy” – John Boehner

      Pretty lock, stock and barrel in the laps of Republicans. But what does truth matter when there’s blame to lay?

      Report this comment

      Pantloadian  
    • MFHorn3
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 1:33pm

      PANTLOADIAN…”I’m sure you’l be equally generous with the credit when the economy continues to accelerate.”

      I agree, we are accelerating.

      Report this comment

      MFHorn3  
  • soybomb315_II
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:40am

    What is he talking about with “caving on entitlements”??? I have not heard any entitlement proposals by republicans…Kinda hard to cave on something you have no plan for

    Report this comment

    soybomb315_II  
    • quiltgal
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 8:46am

      Seriously? NO proposals? Ryan proposed voucherizing Social Security for people under 50. Romney/Ryan proposed cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, housing subsidies, and more. You’ve fallen for the Democrap line. If they repeat the lie often enough, I guess even conservatives will believe it.

      Report this comment

      quiltgal  
  • Truth and Justice
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:38am

    I am now convinced that the Republican leadership are indeed fools!!!

    Report this comment

    Truth and Justice  
  • Magyar
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:34am

    The Republicans are a disgrace –They have sacrificed their principles, disavowed the Constitution and have turned their backs on WE THE PEOPLE all for their own personal enrichment .

    I am now a registered independent….

    Report this comment

    Magyar  
  • GuruMeditation
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:33am

    Well unfortunately we are mostly a nation of fools these days. I’m just watching the freak show now.

    Report this comment

    GuruMeditation  
  • thibx
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:32am

    give them nothing.

    Report this comment

    thibx  
  • Stuck_in_CA
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:24am

    Erik Rush: Is a Good, Old-Fashioned Purge in Order for the GOP?

    http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/print-friendly/51380

    Report this comment

    Stuck_in_CA  
  • ares338
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:22am

    Republicans have no balls at all and they will cave. Oh yeah…..and there WILL be a recession so stock up on beany weenies and bullets.

    Report this comment

    ares338  
  • ALL4FREEDOM
    Posted on November 29, 2012 at 7:21am

    Republicans hold ALL the marbles! The key to the situation is the debt limit. Go ahead and let the Dumbocarats have the “revenue enhancements”, but then do NOT raise the debt limit, come hell or high water, until we get entitlement reform, a balanced budget amendment out to the states for ratification, and a balanced budget, in that order. If they can’t borrow, they HAVE to live off revenue and HAVE to cut!

    Report this comment

    ALL4FREEDOM  
    • Pantloadian
      Posted on November 29, 2012 at 12:02pm

      The last debt ceiling debacle was the beginning of the end for Republicans. and as Boehner said at the time, he got 98% of what Republicans wanted. Now you don’t like what you demanded. Wow, a conservative not taking responsibility. What a surprise!

      You want to do it again? Go right ahead.

      Report this comment

      Pantloadian  
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