The Bush-Pelosi-Reid-Obama Bailout Bill

Over the weekend the narrative is shaping up that the Bush-Pelosi-Reid-Obama Bailout Bill has Bush and the Democrats on one side and the Heroic House GOP Resistance on the other. Once again the Democrats have walked right into the goddamn exhaust intake of the jet engine, and they're going to get shredded.

So now, any time Obama wants to do anything, the GOP will say "TAX AND SPEND LIBERAL! HE BAILED OUT WALL STREET! MORE SOCIALISM!" and will Heroically Resist.

If the GOP sucessfully hangs this around the necks of Pelosi, Reid, Bush and Obama then there is nothing Obama will be able to do. The GOP will just say BAILOUT and block it and the Bush Dog Democrats (they'll still be around) will join them.

Digby has more.

The argument over this bailout is going to be with us for a long time to come and unless Democrats play this right, they are going to wind up holding the bag. The "populist Republican" meme is alredy out there and starting to take hold. They've bet on this economy getting very bad and being able to blame the hated Bush and Clinton for causing it and then blame the Democrats for throwing money at the problem and failing to solve it.

Why would the Democrats let them do that?

Right now I'm watching Pelosi and Reid, Frank and Dodd stand there all by themselves taking "credit" for this bill. They are handing out plaudits to all the others who "helped" them get it done like members of "the Hills" at the MTV awards.

The optics are all wrong. If they really feel they have to do this thing each one of them should have a Republican under each arm every time they make an announcement.

Boehner and Blunt aren't going to do a damn thing to get votes. They are going to force the Dems to vote for this and hang themselves in the House. They figure they have the people on their side in a populist revolt and they are correct. Some folks that I normally would think would be able to see the trap aren't noticing it at all and the Dems are about to get squashed.

The House GOP knows that whoever's in power is going to be an extremely unpopular President because of the economic meltdown, and they'll will be running away from them the whole time, McCain or Obama. There will be Congressional hell to pay come 36 days for any House member who votes for this. I see it. The GOP sees it. The Dems? The Dems think they'll still be in control of the House come January.

If the House GOP hangs this on their necks, they very well may not be come January. Anyone who votes for this bailout is not safe in the House, and the people are seeing the GOP "fight the bailout". This is a game-changer vote. You'd better believe 4 weeks of "Bob Democrat voted for the Wall Street bailout, SHAME ON HIM" ads leading up to November 4th are going to be the end of Bob Democrat's congressional career.

I'd vote against my Senators and Reps if they did that. Of course, this being Northern Kentucky, they're all GOP anyway. But if they were Democrats, I'd have to vote em out. This bailout is hideous. Congress is greatly underestimating how much anger is out there in the electorate this year. They are looking for bums to throw out regardless of party.

And once again the House GOP caucus is playing 2-4 moves down the chessboard in preparation for manuvering against the next administration. The Dems meanwhile are still playing Parcheesi with Bush.