Praising the Hostage Takers: Will Obama Ever Hold the Republicans Accountable? (Paul Loeb/HuffPo)

[OneGrassRoot]

"Will Obama ever hold the Republicans accountable for their reckless and destructive actions? No matter how outrageous their demands, he keeps giving them legitimacy, first resisting, then compromising, then praising the result as bipartisanship. He's forgotten the basic lesson of negotiation--you don't hand everything over before you start, particularly to people who have utter contempt for your values and goals. He's also forgotten the importance of fighting for your principles, so people have a reason to support you.

<snip>

Obama says he has no choice. But he ought to be making the Republicans pay a political cost for the threat of throwing the entire American economic system into debt-default chaos just to ensure that not even corporate jets get tax increases. At the least he could join the House Progressive Caucus in pointing out that Ronald Reagan signed debt-limit increases 18 times during his presidency, or be pushing strong alternatives, like a Progressive Caucus budget that closes the deficit in ten years through measures like increasing top bracket tax rates, closing major tax loopholes, and bringing our troops home in a responsible fashion from Afghanistan and Iraq. Instead, Obama's giving legitimacy to demand after outrageous demand. The more Obama retreats, the more he emboldens the Tea Party and their corporate backers and the more he demoralizes his already demoralized base, leading to an approval rating among Democrats that's now the lowest since he took office.

It's not that Obama doesn't have some constructive visions. He continues to advocate for making the wealthy pay a reasonable share, for investing in infrastructure and new jobs and for dealing with massive environmental crises like global climate change. He's appointed good Supreme Court Justices and replaced the parade of former corporate lobbyists at key agencies with people who actually strive to serve the public good. The risks he took to save the American auto industry have paid off immensely in retaining jobs and industrial capacity. And if the health care bill stays intact it's progress. But except in the most fleeting ways he hasn't fought for his positions, and when the Republicans act outrageously, he excuses them, saying things like "Neither party in this town is blameless." I'm sorry, but when one party commits the sin of timidity while the other threatens to burn the house down they just aren't equivalent. Obama's desire for bipartisan cooperation is eviscerating his presidency."

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-loeb/praising-the-hostage-take_b_906412.html

[Cool Logic]

1. The real question is: Will the People hold themselves and their Representatives accountable.

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world. ~ Thomas Jefferson

When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic. ~ Benjamin Franklin:

There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution. ~ John Adams

[OneGrassRoot]

2. I agree. n/t