October 10, 2013
The Randi Rhodes Show 


Republicans seem to be slowly and carefully backing away from their demands about the debt ceiling and Obamacare. I think they finally realized that those demands were going to blow up in their faces. Now, if nothing else, at least theyΓÇÖre trying to shield their faces. Now theyΓÇÖre looking for a fallback strategy. Guys, youΓÇÖre supposed to have a fallback plan well before you start actually falling. Obama won. Now he just has to find a way to allow Republicans to tell their base that they didnΓÇÖt lose.

Now the Republicans have a new strategy... or at least, a new way of approaching the fact that they donΓÇÖt have a strategy. Republicans are offering a plan for a very temporary increase in the debt ceiling. In other words, they reserve the right to engage in hostage taking in the future... and the near future, at that. ItΓÇÖs not clear how long a debt ceiling increase would be. Republicans have mentioned things like 4 to 6 weeks. ThatΓÇÖs not increasing the debt ceiling, thatΓÇÖs merely propping up the debt ceiling. A short-term debt limit increase! Thanks guysΓÇöyouΓÇÖre offering to trade a state of acute crisis for a state of chronic crisis. They also want to concentrate on continuing the government shutdown. I think thatΓÇÖs the RepublicansΓÇÖ idea of compromiseΓÇöthey wonΓÇÖt keep the government going, but theyΓÇÖre willing to keep the government shutdown going.

The Koch brothers disassociated themselves from the efforts to destroy Obamacare... The Koch brothers created this crisis! For them to try and step away from it is like water trying to disassociate itself from a flood. If the Koch brothers and Heritage are saying that the debt ceiling shouldnΓÇÖt be tied to defunding Obamacare, then what theyΓÇÖre really saying is that it just didnΓÇÖt work.

Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin has issued a call for all FOUR branches of the government to work together. Hey, Markwayne is a guy who forgot to leave a space between his two first names. Mullin is quoted as saying ΓÇ£This country isnΓÇÖt ran by just one individual itΓÇÖs ran by four branches, but three branches that are in control of this.ΓÇ¥ What?!? If thatΓÇÖs the actual quote, then Mullin getting the wrong number of branches is the least of his problems!