Bargaining Away Their Influence

Last Friday, President Obama and the Republican Congress came to an agreement to fund the government. While many in the media are saying Boehner won this round, I have my doubts. First, Republican supporters thought the Speaker needed to flex his muscles, even if it meant a shutdown. Winning with a 63 seat net gain, Republicans had the wind to their backs and a shutdown would not have had the ramifications it did in 1995. Americans are aware the Federal Government is spending too much, especially with boondoggles like the Stimulus and the Health Care Law and sent the Republicans to Washington just for that reason. Seeing this makes some of them queasy.

If I'm Obama, I'd be thinking, "Wow! If I can get the Republicans to cave now, they'll cave in 2012 and if they force a shutdown, I'll call them out on being hypocrites and inconsistent." And if I'm the media, I'm thinking, "maybe we can rile up the Democrat base for the next battle down the line by propping up Boehner."

Republicans damaged themselves by compromising and are not showing strong resolve. With ridiculously high unemployment rates, the President and the Democrats spending like there's no tomorrow, Congress needed to put their proverbial foot down and put an end to this madness. They cannot be concerned with what the President and media may say about them, they must stand behind principle. The American people would have respected a strong stand. Unfortunately, acting like an adult in Washington has now been made more challenging. As I, and other, have said before, "Losers Compromise, Winners State the Terms!"