"If a good political compromise is one that has something for everyone to hate, then last night's bipartisan debt-ceiling deal is a triumph," says the WSJ this morning: "The big picture is that the deal is a victory for the cause of smaller government, arguably the biggest since welfare reform in 1996." Enough of a "balanced approach" for you, Mr. President? It's the momentum, stupid (see below). Above, image of Kitty Hawk Class aircraft carrier.
"I'm with you on this," twitters Mary Katharine Ham as others out here in the twittersphere and blogosphere with whom we usually agree are scoffing at debt-ceiling-deal headlines this morning like the Wall Street Journal's "A Tea Party Triumph" or Mark Thiessen's piece in the WaPo, "How the Tea Party 'hobbits' won the debt fight." Here's MK:
Is it a giant victory for American people? No, but by pathetic Congressional measures, it's a step forward.
We agree. As we twittered back to our protesting friends:
Metaphor that works for me: Changing direction of aircraft carrier. Slow it down, keeps going in same direction awhile.
Consider, too, turnaround of Tea Party in MSM narrative. From violent, racist "teabaggers" to debate changers with a seat at the table.
Not to mention the lame Tea Partier as terrorist meme the President and his crew were desperately trying to sell the American public last week. Their attempts at demonizing us are being overtaken by events. We were delighted to see our friend Peter Ingemi of DaTechGuyblog had already "read/skimmed" the 74-page budget bill and sees it as we do as a course correction:
After reading the bill, if it was up to me, I’d be a yes vote. This bill is not an example of steaming in the right direction, it is an example of completing the turn of the ship so it is facing in the right direction but you have to turn the ship before you change directions. This is the turn.
As the WSJ editors note: "The tea partiers pride themselves on adhering to the Constitution, which was intended to make political change difficult.
Yet in this deal they've forced both parties to make the biggest spending cuts in 15 years, with more cuts likely next year. The U.S. is engaged in an epic debate over the size and scope of government that will play out over several years, and the most important battle comes in the election of 2012.
Update: Michelle Malking Buzzworthy link!
Crossposted at Riehl World View and Liberty Pundits.
Spot on, especially the point about the system being intended to make serious change difficult. (Look at all the trouble the Democrats had shoving ObamaCare down our throats, and they had huge majorities in both chambers.) The proper perspective is to see this contest between visions (for that's what it is, at heart) as a sporting event, perhaps football: it's still early in the 1st half and, while we have the initiative and the (Social) Democrats are playing defense, there's still a lot of game left before we find out who wins.
Posted by: Irishspy | August 01, 2011 at 11:00 AM
There is a lesson here for those of you who wanted to Back Boehner.
Posted by: PolitiJim | August 01, 2011 at 11:17 AM
Tea Drinkers tend to be cynical. Where is the big win for the Tea Party? No enforcement mechanism, no balanced budget amendment. No significant cut in spending. After calling the Tea Party out as Hobbits and other such names it is odd for the WSJ and others to suddenly turn on a dime and announce that the Tea Party has won. Could it simply be they want the Tea Party to think we have won and so then shut up? Are we being snookered?
Posted by: Laura Lee Donoho | August 01, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Laura Lee: They may THINK they can snooker us, but the Tea Party's not for snookering!
Posted by: Sissy Willis | August 01, 2011 at 01:14 PM
Sissy: I like the way you THINK!
Posted by: Laura Lee Donoho | August 01, 2011 at 01:22 PM
I like the way you both think! Mr. Fauxbama hasn't had a thought of his own since before his run for the presidency and he won't have one between now and Rat Retirement Day next November 2012! If he weren't so detrimental to my beloved nation, I'd find his bewilderment at his ongoing comeuppance somewhat amusing. Apparently he bought the narrative about himself entirely too well!
However, wounded animals can be deadly so let's watch him and his leftist cohorts VERY carefully between now and when we've moved them firmly off the stage!
Posted by: Gayle Miller | August 01, 2011 at 05:33 PM
I wish I were as confident as you guys are that the ship is actually getting turned around. It looks to me like it's just kinda listing to one side.
Posted by: Cindy | August 02, 2011 at 09:39 PM