Long-term tactics or short-term strategy? All very confusing 'over there'!

A delicious political situation has arisen 'over there' which, in its way, encapsulates politics.  Everyone knows, well, everyone with the exception of Obama and his Democrat party, that American government spending now resembles one of those cheese-rolling competitions so beloved in various British rural areas in which sundry madmen chase a rolling cheese down an almost vertical hillside.  I believe the cheese always wins but my knowledge of this esoteric sport? hobby? therapy? is minimal.  Anyway, US government spending is racing away and gathering momentum and anyone with half a brain will be bracing themselves for the inevitable.  At the moment, the Republicans control the House but not the Senate and above both sits the Big Black Chief, taking a surreptitious puff on his cigarette (I was going to write 'sucking on his fag' but always conscious of the difficulties of our 'common language' and American sensitivities, I forebore), with a presidential veto at his Left hand.  So what's a fiscal conservative to do?

Fred Barnes in The WSJ lays out the options and the tricky decision the Republicans will have to take.  It is yet another of those pesky two-handed situations.  On the one hand, some Republicans take heart from the fact that they have already taken some nibbles out of Democrat budgets during negotiations to avoid a government shut-down with more to come over future months prior to the next set of elections in 2012.  This approach can best be summed up by the injunction "Softlee, softlee, catchee, monkee".  On the other hand, some Republicans of a more fundamentalist bent want to go for the nuclear option and back the Dems into a corner by refusing funds to various of their favourite stooges thereby precipitating a government close down.

Barnes points out that the effects of either policy on the jury, that is, the American electorate, is incalculable, not least, I suppose, because they, too, are split.  The Tea Party activists who have returned many a Congressman want big cuts to government spending and they want them now!  This will result in the spillage of economic and social blood, metaphorically speaking, and some Republican strategist fear it might result in a nasty bite in the bum from disgruntled voters who might accept Democrat agit-prop that will certainly blame the Republicans for their discomfort.

"A damn fine thing; the finest thing you ever saw", said the good old 'Duke of Boot', and I must admit that I would not like to choose between the two policies.

 

Comments

[Sassyandra]

Have you ever thought about bog snorkelling?
This seems to be a fine English sport and would be right up your alley, what with all your swimming training lately.
You could wear your long johns.
I'd like to see that.

[David Duff]

It is with deep regret, Andra, that I must confess to the shameful fact that "bog snorkelling" is an activity about which I have thought absolutely nothing. I know, I know, it says so much about me!

[Sassyandra]

Party pooper!

[David Duff]

You sound just like my wife!

[Sassyandra]

Want to come to Bali next year? There is something afoot.
No men so far but we are not immune.
Sign up Duff or are you interested?
Will the mensahib let you leave the compound?
Interesting questions I think!!

[Sassyandra]

Of course, the long johns are out... you will have to wear a sarong, de rigeur, old man.

[David Duff]

Bali?! My dear, anywhere east of Cheam is simply too, too, ethnic, don't you know!

[dearieme]

Talking of "too, too, ethnic" I saw a fascinating suggestion recently for O's efforts to hide his birth certificate. It was that it carried a racial classification (did Hawaiin birth certificates back then?) and that it embarrassingly classed him as "white". I'm not persuaded, but full marks for ingenuity, don't you think?

[David Duff]

I would contribute to a conspiracy fund to ensure that one runs and runs!