Extortion

For several days I couldn't come up with the word I wanted.   Paul Krugman found it for me.   Extortion.   An ugly word.   But I think appropriate.    The Tea Party thugs in the House of Representatives extorted--yes extorted--draconian cuts in the domestic discretionary budget while refusing to consider raising income tax rates on affluent and wealthy taxpayers or any other reasonable measure to raise additional revenue.   Of course any reduction in the insane Defense Department budget was off the table.   The President I voted for totally capitulated.    Although too anxious to work with recalcitrant Republicans and possibly misguided in his economic analysis, I am convinced that he sincerely wants what's best for the United States of America.    Therein lies his weakness.   His opponents, I am convinced, are so married to their goal of "starving the beast" and reducing the role of government in this country that they have lost touch with the overriding principle of working together toward the best interests of society.   Some of them even seemed to be hoping to cause a default to occur.   They are basically anarchists in blue suits with blow dried haircuts.   Once you get past the impossible Tea Party gang, mainstream Republicans seem to be doing exactly what Mitch McConnell said they would:   refusing to agree to even their own long-term legislative goals in order to achieve their primary objective of making sure that Obama is a one-term President.   To hell with the country as long as Republicans get elected.   That's clearly the most important thing.   And to think I once considered myself a Republican.   The tea-flavored Republican Party of 2011 is a national disgrace.   President Obama should not hereafter cut these irresponsible extortionists any slack whatsoever.