Incredibly the public somehow doesn't believe that the reason the Government is shut down is Obama. They blame it on Republicans! Imagine that! Plus, the "slimdown" turns out to not be the popular money-saving measure that they were hoping. Which is why even Gallup admits that the GOP favorability rating is at an all time low.
This could explain why a man who said this last week that there was no way he's allow a no-strings attached continuing budget resolution is now offering one.
Without such an extension, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew says the United States risked default as soon as October 17, an outcome that economists label as potentially catastrophic.
At the White House, spokesman Jay Carney said Obama was "happy that cooler heads at least seem to be prevailing in the House" over the need to avoid a possible default.
However, Obama has said that Congress must increase the debt ceiling and reopen the government -- without attaching partisan side issues to either -- before he would hold talks with Republicans trying to wring concessions on deficit reduction and his signature health care reforms detested by conservatives.
"Without attaching partisan side issues"! Clearly the man WON'T NEGOTIATE!
My advice is negotiate. Start here: the CR must last until 2016 or no deal. There are good reasons for that, chiefly that it would allow the economy to stabilize a little. It would obviously be better for the country. Even better, it would force Republicans to argue that they need to be able to shut down the government again if they have to, which ensures an historic election year in 2014.
If Republican leaders walk away the poll numbers can do the negotiating for a while.
**Update** Obama says NO DEAL! No details yet, but I'm sure they involve not enough Mosques on federal lands.
**Update** Obama says NO DEAL! No details yet, but I'm sure they involve not enough Mosques on federal lands.
