Legal Commentary

The Norquist Strategy: Part 2 Starts In February

By Big Tent Democrat

David Dayen:

This was the trade made in the Senate last night; the Dems will get legislative repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, a couple judges, and probably the new START Treaty, and the Republicans will get the chance to massively cut spending early in the 112th Congress. If I’m a Republican, I take that trade.

This all came about last night, when [. . .] Senate Republicans [. . .] informed Harry Reid that they would renege on their support of the $1.1 trillion dollar omnibus spending bill[. . . .] Reid suddenly didn’t have the votes for anything but a short-term continuing resolution, probably for two months until February 18.

Say what you will about the GOP, they do understand The Madman Theory of Political Bargaining and also know when they have chumps at the other side of the table.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on December 17, 2010 (boomark / email).