The fiscal cliff is not over. All Congress did was delay it a couple months, but it is still looming large and set to be the topic of battle between the Republicans and President Obama.
In the first round of ‘negotiations’, the Republicans were forced to accept a number of tax increases that not only hit the wealthy, but also hit everyone in the country. The Democrats were unwilling to budge and then accused the Republicans of being unwilling to negotiate and holding the country hostage.
Now, some Republicans are ready to play by the Democrats’ rules and stand firm on one major issue and not budge until Obama and the Dems give in this time. The topic is spending cuts. President Obama told House Speaker John Boehner that we don’t have a spending problem even though he has spent more than almost all of the presidents before him.
This next round of talks on the fiscal cliff is going to find some Republicans willing to shut down the government if Obama does not concede to drastic spending cuts. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) has gone on record saying:
“I think it is possible that we would shut down the government to make sure Pres. Obama understands that we’re serious.”
Another option being considered by the Republicans would be to allow the government to default on payments for its loans. Either option would have major ramifications that could affect the world economy besides our own.
Supposedly Speaker John Boehner understands the danger of this type of action, but says that he is not sure that he can control some of the more Tea Party oriented members of the house who are threatening a government shutdown. A number of these House Republicans voted against the last fiscal cliff negotiated measure and most certainly will do so again unless Obama agrees to some major spending cuts.
I understand all of the ramifications that everyone says will happen if the government shuts down, but I’m tending to agree with the tea party Republicans that if this is what it takes to force Obama to start being responsible and cut federal spending then that’s what needs to happen. I do feel sorry for the people who may lose unemployment benefits if the government shuts down, but I feel that the time is at hand for drastic measures to force the government to be responsible like any household or business owner would have to be with a limited income.
In the next few weeks we’ll see who’s willing to stand their ground for their principles and who will cave in to the pressures of the other side.
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