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If Only They Don’t Go Wobbly
Posted by Erick Erickson
Thursday, June 7th 

Our Republican Leadership in Washington, D.C. is extremely risk adverse. It is very clear the leadership has convinced itself, despite historic truth, that Newt Gingrich lost his job because of the government shutdown way back when. They do not want to have protracted fights. They want to appear reasonable. They crave the press’s adoration of “grown ups” and “reasonable men.” 

I expect Barack Obama to capitalize on this Republican lack of self-esteem before October. I expect him to manufacture some fight with the GOP on fiscal issues and expect the GOP to cave so he can appear “reasonable.” 

The media will aid him with choruses of “good government” and “government working” and “bipartisanship.” 

I hope the GOP pays attention to Wisconsin. 

In Wisconsin, the GOP drew a line in the sand and used brute legislative force to get its agenda passed. It did what Barack Obama did with Obamacare. The Democrats perversely gambled that the people were with them on healthcare and against the GOP on public sector unions. They got both badly wrong. 

We know from Wisconsin that the coalition that swept the GOP back into power in the House of Representatives still stands. We also know that a majority of independents are desperate for someone to stop the spending in Washington. 

I expect Barack Obama to manufacture a fiscal crisis to try to force a compromise to make himself look strong. In Wisconsin, the GOP stood up, fought, and did not compromise. They won. The public supported them both before and after on the issue of the day. They support the GOP against the President too. They support cuts to spending. 

Will the GOP learn that compromise with Barack Obama is no longer an option? Will they learn that “reasonableness” on the path to fiscal ruin is not what the American people want? Will they fight? 

We will see. 

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