Why Are Republicans Continuing to Help Democrats by Giving Them Political Ammo?

If you were running against a pack of Republicans over the next year, you couldn’t ask for any more political ammo than the GOP is giving you. Hand over fist. From where I sit, the Tea Party (which certainly seemed like a good idea at the start) is leading the legislative logjam, stalling any movement in the House and creating what seems to me to be a slew of political opportunities for the other side.

The most recent ammo giveaway is the House payroll tax inaction. Oh how not surprised am I.

The House position again adds to the perception that Republicans don’t give a hoot about anything other than their political fortunes. Let’s evaluate. By letting the current payroll tax cuts expire the first of the year, Republicans are, in effect, raising taxes for 160 million people. Wow. So take that and add it to the perception that the Republicans only care about the rich (not wanting any tax changes for upper-incomers), and the GOP is solidifying the perception that they don’t give a crap about the middle class.

Call me silly, but that gives tons of ammo to the Democrats going forward.

Republicans need to get off this bus, and need to start coming up with some ideas that the middle class can embrace. Some ideas that are actually ideas, and not just anti-everyone verbiage. Unfortunately, Republicans have embraced the notion that the only thing they’re really interested in is getting President Obama out of office. That may be a political goal, but in trying to do that, Republicans are severely damaging any hope they have of voters actually supporting their positions. Mostly because they really don’t seem to have any. That bus could be headed off a cliff when a Republican challenger to Obama is finally picked.

A woman interviewed on the news the other night put it all in perspective. She said politicians in Washington just didn’t get it. They don’t understand what people are going through when they lose their jobs.

She’s right. Very well paid and with fantastic benefits and perks, members of congress really don’t get it. They’re insulated, protected and out of touch with the country. That, added to the fact they focus on the “me first” instead of “country first” make them spoiled do nothings that we, for some silly reason, pay.

Until they can show me they are actually earning that pay instead of merely pissing on each other, why on earth should I give them the respect they think they deserve? Stop trying to score political points and do something.

(As I post this, there’s word that House Republicans approved a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut and that a committee will try to hammer out an agreement between the House and Senate on a longer deal. They’d best work it out, or 160 million people will be more pissed off than they are now.)