Both Matt Yglesias and Jonathan Chait are hilarious on the subject of budgetary contraception. Chait calls the latest budget efforts the equivalent of limiting sex to anal and oral.
The secret sauce in the budget deal is that Republicans evaded their theological opposition to taxes by agreeing to jack up some “fees.” Matt Yglesias argues that this is a pointless charade — he compares it to technical virgins who engage in anal and oral sex. Actually, the GOP’s we’ll-raise-taxes-but-not-really stance makes perfect sense, in pretty much the same way that being a technical virgin does.
The key to the GOP’s anti-tax stance is that they don’t hate all taxes remotely equally — and many of them don’t hate certain taxes at all. They hate taxes on the rich. The trouble is “don’t tax the rich” makes a pretty unpopular way to define your core beliefs. So, Republicans instead couch their stance as no taxes, period. ...Chait,DailyIntel
Works pretty well as a dodge, or at least it did for a while. Now even Republicans are saying "tax the rich."
Here come the details, straight from Paul Ryan.
Ryan’s solution was to accept tax increases “outside of the tax code.” That’s a perfectly safe way for Republicans to accept higher revenue in the form of fees and whatnot, without any danger of opening the door to higher progressive taxes. Likewise, technical virgins may be looking to get it on in a way that protects them from pregnancy. ...Chait,DailyIntel
Politically (and sexually) that's bound to resonate with a lot of "real Americans." Aren't "real Americans" men? By definition?
___
In the Yglesias/Chait universe, where is Mitch McConnell? Oh...
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) are headed for a rare split on the budget deal.
Boehner backs the agreement, while McConnell doesn’t. The two GOP leaders have worked closely together for years, and it is highly unusual for daylight to emerge between them.
The Speaker on Wednesday urged Republican colleagues to vote for the budget deal negotiated by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and his Senate counterpart, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
He blasted conservative groups pressuring House Republicans to vote against the deal. His deputy, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), praised the agreement.
McConnell and Senate GOP Whip John Cornyn (Texas), who both face Tea Party-backed primary challengers next year, will vote against the bipartisan budget pact. ...TheHill
