Bruce McQuain, this morning at Q&Q:
Well there’s an agreement on the Generational Theft Act of 2009. The squishy middle has capitulated.
As expected, just enough Republicans have signed on to ensure its passage. Names?
Specter said Friday night that action was “very necessary,†and this bill, though not perfect, is better than inaction.
“I think no one could argue with the fact that the situation would be much worse without this bill,†Specter said at a news conference.
And of course, Susan Collins is the other (and Olympia Snowe is also reportedly going to vote for it). Voinavich and Martinez bailed. They’ll give this the veneer of bi-partisan legitimacy.
Which, doubtless, will be endlessly touted by the Democrats over the following two years. And, forever, for that matter, each time the amount of debt incurred by this mess turns up as a discussion point on online venues, or talking head programs.
The problem is obvious; it is what Bruce describes as the “squishy middle†. I’ve been telling you people for nearly a decade now that it is the centrists among us that are going to kill us off as a nation. If this monstrosity goes as badly as I suspect it will, I cannot say I’ve ever been more annoyed with the prospect of being proven correct, before.
I do have to say, that I am looking with a somewhat jaundiced eye at the polling data which suggests that the bill which has just been agreed to, has approximately a 37% approval rating amongst the electorate. I can’t help but wonder, what will happen when the entire nation looks at the democrats in the midterm elections, and four years from now as well, and says “See, I told you soâ€.
I’m telling you, the Democrats are going to be feeling the backlash on this one big time.
And what of that ’squishy middle ‘? Frankly, I think they deserve the same fate, and if the Republican base is smart, they will give that squishy middle exactly what is deserved… the same fate as the Democrats will face. The question outstanding in my mind is if the Republican base has quite so long a memory. One can only hope.