That’s right folks; something important is happening in D.C.—a major change in the narrative of the GOP. I don’t know if it’s the polls, the hostile town halls or the restlessness of the Wall Street Journal Editorial pages, but something is definitely up. Just take a look at the stories crossing the wires today. The Hill:
1. Cantor vows no 'hold up' in disaster aid
“House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Wednesday there would be “no hold-up” in approving federal disaster aid for localities ravaged by an earthquake and torrential storms. Cantor had come under fire from Democrats for suggesting last month that Republicans would seek to offset new funding for disaster relief with spending cuts elsewhere in the budget.”
Okay, this is good and I don’t know why he was such a drama-queen in the first place. I’m sure the “whuppings” from his local media helped. But that’s not all folks check this in a different article from The Hill:
2. Cantor: GOP must emphasize ‘grow’ part of ‘cut and grow’
“House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) sought to strike a tone of civility ahead of President Obama’s jobs speech to both house of Congress, suggesting the GOP and White House needed to come together to grow the economy.
Even as he reiterated that Republicans and Democrats “have very different opinions as to how to grow this economy,” Cantor acknowledged the GOP had emphasized one half of its “cut and grow” agenda more than the other since taking over the House majority in January.
“We’ve been about cut and grow. The fact is for the last eight months plus, we’ve been about cuts,” he said. “That’s why it is imperative that all of us join together, work with the president, to see how we can grow this economy.”
Okay, good—a little weak, a little lame—but quite a different response from a month ago. I said I believe Obama has them on the run because they’re confused now. All year it’s been: cut, cut, cut but look at this headline from National Journal:
3. Is $300 Billion Enough for Jobs?
Huh? Seriously?
Okay, great question--in the field in which we need to play. They even suggests Obama should go hard with this nugget:
“One approach Obama hasn’t tried, but is turning toward, is ruthlessness. If Congress fails to pass the jobs bill, you might see Obama take a single job-creating idea, announce it somewhere outside of Washington, and give Congress three weeks to consider it. Then do it again. And again. and again.”
http://nationaljournal.com/...
Wow? Is the National Journal suggesting Obama get all ruthless on us? I’m not sure—but I like the idea. In fact, maybe he’s already started. Check this from Politico:
4. Carney: [Obama] No meeting with GOP
“Carney indicated that President Obama has no plans to meet with leaders in Congress, despite the request by John Boehner and Eric Cantor to do so before the jobs speech on Thursday. But he added that “I have not said that the president will not reach out.”
And then there’s this from Huffpo:
5. Super Congress Democrats Want Panel To Focus On Jobs
“Democrats on the Super Congress will insist that the body's mandate be expanded to include job creation measures, setting up the first major ideological battle a day before the panel is set to meet for the first time.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said on Wednesday that Democrats on the panel are in agreement that the national debt can't be decreased without growing the economy.”
Okay, I don’t mean to appear too hopeful but I haven’t seen headlines like these in over a year. Check this last one from Fox via Politiwire:
6. Republicans Will Not Give Rebuttal
“Republicans have decided they're not going to give a rebuttal to President Obama's economic speech on Thursday night, Fox News reports.
But Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the GOP's "silence" would "speak volumes about their lack of commitment to creating jobs."
Folks seriously, I can’t claim to know what will happen in the next few weeks but it looks like republicans are uncomfortable with playing in "our" jobs field. While I expect Boehner to pull another rabbit out of his hat in the final hours, at least today, the narrative has changed. Obama is asking for 300-billion in the middle of the debt cut negotiations--that's a good thing.
Baucus is telling the Super-Committee, folks this is about jobs. Obama is telling Boehner and Cantor he’s not meeting with them and the National Journal is hinting he should get all gangsta (my words) and go “ruthless.” Nancy Pelosi is antagonizing the lack of response from the GOP and I’m liking all of this.
Yes, I “might” like this long hot, crazy summer after all.