Bagging The Original Firebagger

If you've not checked out Milt Shook and his blog (Please Cut The Crap!) then you're doing yourself a major disservice.  It's worth it just for this brilliant dismantling of Jane Hamsher's latest screed railing against Obama and the McConnell surrender position.

I don’t know anyone “cheering” for the McConnell deal. That seems to be a conclusion she has simply jumped to, based on zero evidence. I’m as strong an Obama supporter as there is, but even I’m a little wary of it. I’d have to see more details. But the fact is, both Boehner and McConnell blinked.

Obama put unspecified Social Security cuts on the table, precisely because the GOP had asked for them for six months, and he decided to call their bluff. They’ve already been tagged for actively trying to kill Medicare; you think Republicans also want to be tagged with cutting Gramma’s Social Security? Can you say “bloodbath”? He called their bluff, and THEY BLINKED.

First, Boehner, who is without a doubt the least prepared Speaker of the House in US history, called for a much SMALLER package of spending cuts. I’d REALLY like for Jane to explain to us all how putting Social Security on the table causes the Speaker to demand a SMALLER package of tax cuts, if OBAMA is the one who’s “humiliated.”

Then, there’s McConnell. For those with short memories, Miss McConnell is the Republican leader who stated that the number one goal of his party would be to make Obama a one-term president. Not fix the economy and make lives better, but to destroy Obama. He has spent the last 2 ½ years suggesting that Obama can’t be trusted with anything regarding the government.

Yet McConnell crafted this plan, in which he plans to give the “untrustworthy” Obama total control of the debt ceiling, in return for basically promising to provide Congress with some major spending cuts, which he all but promised to kill when they got there.

Jane thinks McConnell’s the smart one? Really?

BOTH Republicans demanded Social Security cuts for months. They’ve goaded and goaded, but the second Obama offered to entertain some, they BOTH essentially took Social Security back off the table. You have to be insane to think Republicans won this round. They’ve been bested by him every goddamn time they’d challenged him, and they’ve walked away looking like complete fools. 

Milt definitely has his head on straight and kudos to him for calling Hamsher out.

Look folks, it's one thing to voice healthy (and in a representative democracy, required) dissent when you disagree with political policy.  It's another thing entirely to call yourself a progressive and then endlessly attack the President for "caving" again and again when he's done the responsible thing holding the line against the Republican Madness Machine.  If the GOP were any more nuts, you'd need to check them for facial tentacles and a passport from R'lyeh.  The fact that Obama's even able to hold them off is very impressive.

And no, as I've said time and time again I have a number of policy disagreements with this President, especially on military issues, civil liberties, and failure to go after Bush's little rancid ass.  But I'm not the one who hates Obama so much that the flames on the side of my face, breathing, heaving breaths I'm working with Grover Effing Norquist on things either, ya know?

There's a limit.  Hamsher crossed that line, then made a fundraising career out of crossing it.  She's a joke, and her "principled opposition" is the punchline.