Republicans have “delayed” (FT.com) not “blocked” (every other MSM news outlet) the pending financial reform legislation. Haste in putting it together is only one reason [NYT]. Lack of including key players in the financial meltdown, Sally Mae and Freddie Mac, is another [NYT]. Even more impressive, many Republicans want tougher rules on derivatives [Huffington Post].
Much of the above information was buried in this mornings The Hill and, at the other extreme, completely absent from Huff Po that went overboard in describing the Republican stand as having put them in a “deliciously awkward” position. This use of the adjective “delicious” has been reserved to this hour for use by effete snobs and would-be literati. Robert Kuttner carries on in this article of his like a diva with murderous thoughts about her conductor couched in satiric terms to avoid arrest:
Then we have the case of the accidental senator from Massachusetts, Scott Brown, who is facing re-election in just two years. His special election last January was a fluke–a perfect storm of voter backlash against recession and a weak Democratic campaign. Brown ran as a kind of regular-guy economic populist. I can’t believe that Brown will stand up for Wall Street against Main Street and vote to filibuster against even taking up the bill (Elizabeth Warren should run for the Democratic nomination to take him on in 2012. Now that would be one helluva race.)
The ancient term “backbite” comes to mind. Too much Alexander Pope in his “delicious” reading pile. And no mention of what Scott said brilliantly.
Virtually EVERY rag I reviewed quoted Obama, Reid, Dodd, and Mrs. Santa Claus before mentioning what one Republican had said in defense of their “blocking” the financial reform bill.
Republicans have a huge hill to climb to get out of the deep “party of no” hole they and the Democrats have dug. This may mean not only getting out ahead of this story in some way but of getting out ahead of another story to deflect from the current one – one to one that sees Democrats hanging themselves with no assistance in their suicide from Republicans. This is what team Obama does constantly. Know thine enemy and use what you know against it.
Pay attention Republicans. This is the endgame:
A Washington Post/ABC News poll published Monday showed that almost two-thirds of the public supported stronger regulation of financial institutions. The survey also found that 52 percent trust Obama more than GOP lawmakers to regulate Wall Street. [The Hill]
____________________________________
HotAir – Oh my: GOP filibusters Dems’ financial reform bill
Posted on April 27, 2010