XtremeSpeakFreely

I’ve been too absorbed by my book projects and by Australian politics (of which more soon) to pay a lot of attention to the forthcoming US elections, but it seems to be widely projected that the Republicans could regain control of the House of Representatives. What surprises me is that no-one has drawn the obvious inference as to what will follow, namely a shutdown of the US government.

It seems obvious to me that a shutdown will happen – the Republicans of today are both more extreme and more disciplined than last time they were in a position to shut down the government, and they did it then. And they hate Obama at least as much now as they hated Clinton in 1995 (maybe not quite as much as they hated him by 2000, but they are getting there faster this time).

The big question is how a shutdown will be resolved. It seems to me that it will be a lot harder for Obama to induce the Republicans to back down than it was for Clinton. IIRC, no piece of legislation proposed by Obama has received more than a handful of votes in the House, and (unlike the case with Bob Dole in 1995) no aspiring Republican presidential candidate will have an interest in resolving the problem – the base would be furious. On the other hand, the price Obama would have to pay if he capitulated the Republicans would demand from Obama in a capitulation would be huge, certainly enough to end his presidency at one term. So, I anticipate a lengthy shutdown, and some desperate expedients to keep things running.

As far as I can tell, there is no mechanism for resolving this kind of deadlock – the House can’t be dissolved early as would happen in a parliamentary system. I think the Founders probably envisaged the House as having a “power of the purse” comparable to that of the British Commons. Whether they did or not, I’m sure this argument will be made, probably by people who have argued, until very recently, that the power of the Executive is essentially unlimited.

Does this mean that Obama will become a sort of like Lame Duck like Bush in his latter years?

Palin/Limbaugh 2012!

how about Beck/Limbaugh.. I'd love to see those 2 yahoo bitch-asses get in there and make a fool of themselves. but they'd never do it, they're all about the bitch and not so much about the job. fk'in pussy loud mouths.

They're all about being on top of their respective markets and hauling off a lot of money. They sell advertising spots by getting large audiences for their clients. What comes out of their mouths is geared to grow their audiences. The health of conservatism and the implementation of conservative policies into government are of no concern to them. So yes they are a lot like politicians already. But they would never take a giant pay cut to take an elected position.

that's why they are already politicians... but I was kidding about the 2012 president thing. only the ignorant fanatics would vote for them..

how about Beck/Limbaugh.. I'd love to see those 2 yahoo bitch-asses get in there and make a fool of themselves. but they'd never do it, they're all about the bitch and not so much about the job. fk'in pussy loud mouths.