And it's being perfectly orchestrated by the president.
The Republicans have spent the last couple of years freaking out about government spending -- all of a sudden. I wonder where Paul Ryan and Michele Bachmann were hiding during the Bush years when the Republicans completely squandered the Clinton budget surplus on wars and a tax cut for the super rich. Oh yeah, they were in Congress. Voting for all of that spending -- the House, after all, originates all spending bills.
So the president announced a five year discretionary spending freeze, essentially challenging the Republicans to either vote with their mouths or vote with their asses. In other words, vote for the spending freeze they've been demanding, or vote against the spending freeze in order to preserve their earmarks and, thus, saving their asses from being voted out of office. Despite all of the bitchery, earmarks are the basis for campaign ads -- check out all the good stuff we've brought home to the district, etc.
Meanwhile, the president can say he tried to freeze spending, but the House Republicans wanted to keep on spending. Just like the Bush years.
President Obama has called their bluff. Let's see how they react. And I assure you: there will be no such spending freeze.
Brilliant.
(Headline via Admiral Akbar)