20 responses to “Poll: Republicans Would Get Blame For Sequester Cuts”

1. 

   An Interested Party

   February 26, 2013 at 11:17 am

   The interesting thing, of course, is what impact the whole thing will actually have if the cuts don’t turn out to be as catastrophic as the Obama Administration and the Democrats are claiming.

   An even more interesting thing is that if the impact causes any kind of real pain, libertarians, many of whom are claiming the sequester is no big deal, will be even further discredited…
2. 

   Tsar Nicholas

   February 26, 2013 at 11:32 am

   Poll: Republicans Would Get Blame For Sequester Cuts

   Obviously. Democrats since Jan. 2009 continuously have controlled the White House and the Senate. So it goes without saying that Zombieland mostly would blame Republicans. Dog bites man. Sun rises in east.
3. 

   bill

   February 26, 2013 at 11:47 am

   and in 2 months nobody will remember any of this, aside from those who lost their jobs. of course if your job relied upon “funds” vs. actual “needs” then maybe you’re in the wrong business?
4. 

   Sandman

   February 26, 2013 at 12:08 pm

   So the house republican approval rating will go from 5% to maybe 4%? That would be crazy.
5. 

   Mr. Replica

   February 26, 2013 at 12:32 pm

   Wait…so you’re telling me that the American public is stupid enough to put the blame on the political party that held the debt ceiling/economy hostage to enact the sequestration?

   The same political party who’s leaders came out afterward and said that this is exactly what they wanted?

   Jeesh, no wonder the rest of the world thinks Americans are stupid.

   Thanks, Obama.
6. 

   Rick Almeida

   February 26, 2013 at 12:33 pm

   @Tsar Nicholas:

   Democrats since Jan. 2009 continuously have controlled the White House and the Senate. So it goes without saying that Zombieland mostly would blame Republicans. Dog bites man. Sun rises in east.

   You might un-staple the Constitution from your tricorn hat and read Article I, Sec. 7.
7. 

   Jenos Idanian #13

   February 26, 2013 at 12:36 pm

   What a news flash: People Believe What They’re Told Over And Over.

   I have to wonder what the polls would say if those polled were informed that the sequester was proposed by President Obama, then approved by the Republican-controlled House, the Democratically-controlled Senate and signed by President Obama.
8. 

   gVOR08

   February 26, 2013 at 12:54 pm

   @Tsar Nicholas: In current circumstances, anyone who claims the Democrats “control” the Senate is unserious and should be read nor further.
9. 

   mantis

   February 26, 2013 at 1:00 pm

   @Jay Tea’s sockpuppet Jenos Idanian #13:

   I have to wonder what the polls would say if those polled were informed that the sequester was proposed by President Obama, then approved by the Republican-controlled House, the Democratically-controlled Senate and signed by President Obama.

   They would be the same. Most people already know that, and people are watching as Republicans refuse to be part of any deal to replace the sequester, and seem to have decided it’s a good idea after all (even though they’ve spent weeks claiming it was a terrible idea and all Obama’s fault).

   Also, people have watched Republicans actively attempt to wreck the economy on several occasions over the past few years. So most people will blame them if the sequester happens, because most people live in reality, unlike wingnut twerps like yourself.
10. 

    David M

    February 26, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    This is a positive development if the GOP is getting “credit” for the policies they support. Too often they obstruct things or propose damaging policies and then blame “government”.
11. 

    bandit

    February 26, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    Since the POSUS isn’t expected to do anything except fail it’s obviously someone elses fault
12. 

    CB

    February 26, 2013 at 1:12 pm

    @gVOR08:

    People still read the Tsar??

    (see what I did there?)
13. 

    stonetools

    February 26, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    One good thing about the Democratic messaging and the media reporting on the sequester is that there is not the slightest doubt was to who wants the sequester to go forward now, regardless of where or how the idea originated.Its clear that deficit hawk conservatives are the ones who want the sequester to go forward and that it is they who the public will blame.
    If the sequester goes forward and an economuic slump results (which is what every serious economist predicts) folks like Doug and the various deficit hawks will not be able to weasel out of the blame by saying that “Congress” or the “gumint” let the sequester happen.

    Boehner is already trying to shift blame to the (Democratic-led) Senate but that horse won’t dance:

    So, as Boehner starts to lose his cool in public, let’s pause and help him understand the one detail the Speaker seems to have forgotten: in this Congress, House Republicans have done no work on the sequester. Literally, none. Boehner and his caucus haven’t voted on an alternative; they haven’t unveiled a substitute plan; they haven’t shown up for bipartisan negotiations. Since this Congress has gotten underway, Speaker and his team have known this threat is coming, and they’ve done absolutely nothing about it except whine in public.

    Senate Democrats, meanwhile, have put together a compromise plan that requires concessions from both sides

    The conservatives are going to finally have to eat this mess.they have created. They better hope their Poolyanna predictions that this won’t hurt the economy come through, or the 2014 elections will be a conservative bloodbath.
14. 

    mantis

    February 26, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    @stonetools:

    One good thing about the Democratic messaging and the media reporting on the sequester is that there is not the slightest doubt was to who wants the sequester to go forward now, regardless of where or how the idea originated.

    Indeed. And Republican messaging seems to go like this: The sequester is terrible and will do great damage to the economy, but it was all Obama’s idea. Oh, and the sequester won’t be that bad and we insist it happen. But it’s Obama’s fault. But it’s no big deal.

    It’s a wonder their heads don’t spin right off their necks.
15. 

    Kathy Kattenburg

    February 26, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    The interesting thing, of course, is what impact the whole thing will actually have if the cuts don’t turn out to be as catastrophic as the Obama Administration and the Democrats are claiming.

    The above begs the question of how “catastrophic” in regard to the cuts will be defined. In my opinion, it takes a certain degree of psychological and emotional distance from the possible effects of the cuts that would be triggered by failing to stop the sequester to even come up with a word like “interesting” to characterize those effects — the kind of distance that comes from a deeper inner conviction that you will not be affected.

    So perhaps the more “interesting” question is: If the sequester is triggered, would you consider the ensuing cuts “catastrophic” if they don’t affect you?
16. 

    Gold Star for Robot Boy

    February 26, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    @Kathy Kattenburg:

    So perhaps the more “interesting” question is: If the sequester is triggered, would you consider the ensuing cuts “catastrophic” if they don’t affect you?

    Yup. Libertarianism boiled down: “It’s all about MEEEEEEEE!”
17. 

    Spartacus

    February 26, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    @Kathy Kattenburg: So perhaps the more “interesting” question is: If the sequester is triggered, would you consider the ensuing cuts “catastrophic” if they don’t affect you?

    Excellent point!
18. 

    Spartacus

    February 26, 2013 at 3:51 pm

    In his typical uncontrollable “blame the Democrats” fashion, Doug wrote:

    The interesting thing, of course, is what impact the whole thing will actually have if the cuts don’t turn out to be as catastrophic as the Obama Administration and the Democrats are claiming.

    Here’s what Republicans have to say about the sequester:

    Boehner:

    “a dramatic new federal policy is set to go into effect that threatens U.S. national security, thousands of jobs and more.”

    Lindsey Graham:

    I’ll raise revenue, you reform entitlements and both together we’ll set aside sequestration in a way that won’t disrupt the economy and hurt the Defense Department.

    Senators McCain, Graham and Ayotte:

    For months last year, we traveled around the country warning about the calamitous effects that budget sequestration would have on our nation’s economy and security.
19. 

    al-Ameda

    February 26, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    Boehner knows that Republicans will be blamed, that’s why he’s shiny that the Senate (Democrats) won’t step forward and propose the kind of cuts to popular programs that Republicans want. That the GOP will be blamed for damaging the government that dislike is not news at all.
20. 

    john personna

    February 26, 2013 at 8:18 pm

    @Sandman:

    So the house republican approval rating will go from 5% to maybe 4%? That would be crazy.

    This is the key. Americans might not be the most dialed-in electorate, but they know Congress is not doing the job, and that Republicans are most often blockers, rather than say, leaders.

    People are smart enough to know that a serious Congress, and a serious GOP would be putting plans out there program-by-program. There would be an intelligent agriculture plan, an intelligent energy plan, an intelligent defense plan, and so on.

    We wouldn’t be, say, ordering the Army to buy more tanks than they want, and then slapping a sequestration on them for dessert.