Fellow Republicans: It is not good enough to be right on the debt ceiling debate

I have watched the proceedings in Washington on the debt ceiling with growing trepidation for both my party and my country. Through skillful political maneuvering and messaging, the President has been successful at assigning the GOP with "reasonable doubt" in the mind of the public on the debt ceiling issue. What I mean is that the GOP should consider this current crisis as a court case, with the American public serving as jury.

President Obama has used his bully pulpit as President as a platform to sling lightning bolts at Republicans, and Republicans lack both the stature of that office, or a communicator of Obama's stature to counter. Republicans sound off about higher tax burdens will inhibit economic growth and that entitlement spending is out of control. Most technocrats will probably agree, but on the other side you have the President calling the GOP the party of the stingy ultra rich, and evil corporations, staring down at us regular people from the windows of their corporate jets. The GOP is losing the messaging battle, and the party must figure out how to use plain talk that speaks to the basic truths most people know. Talk of trillions of dollars this or balanced budget amendment that isn't getting us anywhere right now.

Let me say this, the case Obama has made is sticking out here in the real world. Obama doesn't get off scot-free either, but a 50-50 assignment of blame is not helpful for any opposition party. Republicans need to stop talking about a Constitutional amendment that has zero chance of occurring in the next 7 days, (or before next year's elections, for that matter), and strike the best deal we can right now. We have made the Democrats come a long way on this issue, and the time has come to put pressure back on the President by placing a bill on his desk.

Obama the Insincere

Last week, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), invited the President for a meeting dealing with the "debt ceiling". The White House coldly turned the overture stating: "...the administration knows Republican positions about taxes and spending..." . Obama's press secretary added that, as far as the Administration is concerned, a possible meeting with McConnell is " ...A conversation not worth having..." Candidate Obama famously announced that he would meet with America's foreign enemies without preconditions, but evidently this offer is not equally applied to Obama's political ones.

I found it most ironic that Obama is now calling for Congress to come together and "make hard choices" on A deal over increasing the debt ceiling. Last week, he gave us Republicans the proverbial bird and now this week, he dares to lecture us on A lack of bi-partisan progress. This is a typical Obama tactic, slinging mud when no one is paying attention, then serenely preaching down on those who have his mud stains on their shirts when the cameras are on.

This is not the new politics of Hope, but the politics of dopes. Dopes are what the President must consider most of us following the news to be if he thinks we will blindly buy into his phony, insincere narrative. We must hold this man accountable n the next election.