Red Ink Rumble

[Geee]

American Spectator:

A government shutdown looming, the budget talks between congressional Republicans and Democrats on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue appear to have stalled. Reports are circulating that Republican leaders are poised to reject the White House's latest budget offer. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is already pointing the finger of blame.

"The infighting between the Tea Party and the rest of the Republican party, including the Republican leadership in Congress, is keeping our negotiating partner [from] the negotiating table," Reid told reporters Monday. "It's pretty hard to negotiate without someone on the other side of the table to talk to." A deal must be reached by April 8 to keep some parts of the government from temporarily shutting down.
Reid later issued a statement recounting "weeks of productive negotiations with Speaker Boehner" and demanding, "For the sake of our economy, it's time for mainstream Republicans to stand up to the Tea Party and rejoin Democrats at the table to negotiate a responsible solution that cuts spending while protecting jobs."

The political calculus behind all this is clear: Republicans won the midterm elections because enthusiastic conservatives, rallied by the Tea Party, joined with wary independents in rejecting Democratic candidates. Splitting this coalition by forcing Republicans to disappoint either Tea Party conservatives or moderate swing voters is a prerequisite for any Democratic recovery next year.