Valentine Day Massacre: House GOP Shoots Self in Both Feet!

{ The following post was up for about 20 minutes when the GOP in the House suddenly announced it would vote a "clean bill" to raise the debt ceiling.  No demands of any kind. Goldernit, the GOP ain't any fun any more.  At least I was prescient enough to start out originally with "I can't believe this".  It was indeed just to good to be true!}

I can't believe this! Never has any major political party done something so hilarious.  Or so stupid.  Or so helpful to their despised rivals.  At least not since the GOP convention in 2012 featured Clint Eastwood talking to a chair.

It's the GOP again, of course. The GOP House members  have lined themselves up against the wall of a garage and shot themselves, each in both feet.  Happy Valentine's Day to the Democrats and any Americans who have a sense of humor and can follow the GOP's amazing script.  It's like something Kramer would plot on "Seinfeld".

Okay, this is how it works.  The debt ceiling is up for action again.  There wasn't going to be any bargaining this time, just as Obama refused to bargain last time.  And the GOP sure can't shut down the government again. So one would think the GOP would just quietly do its job and vote to raise the ceiling and thus pay the bills it has ALREADY incurred.

But no.

The GOP can't just do its job like a bunch of grown-ups.  It has to extract some kind of bribe as it has tried to do before.  It has to swagger. Last time the price was supposed to be the killing of Obamacare.  Well, that didn't happen, as you will recall.  So it's pointless to try that again.  Therefore what trophy can they require in order to look like hot stuff and tough guys to their voters back home?

Get this!  This is the price they announced Monday:  They are demanding restoration of a cut in veterans benefits that they  -   these exact same Republicans  -   JUST ENACTED.  "Give us back that cut we just made, you dirty so-and-sos!  How dare you withhold the funding we just required be withheld!"  Man, what is scarier than that!

So of course the GOP is going to get this as their "price".  Not because they are so scary but because the Democrats want the restoration of that benefit even MORE than the GOP does!  And so do the veterans, a key voting group,  And so does much of the public because our veterans get treated badly enough as it is.

And, oh boy, does Sen. Harry Reid want the House to restore that cut!  He's jumping up and down with delight all over the Senate chamber.  He's already appointed four Democratic Senators to carry parallel restoration legislation in the Senate.  Each of the four is up for re-election in a state which tends to be red.  These four spearheading a benefit for veterans will go down nicely in those four states, thus helping the Democrats to hold the seats this year the party needs to keep its majority.

The best sit-coms are on C-Span?

All you Republicans, line up against that garage wall.  And take your shoes off!

The rest of you, pass the chocolates!

Happy, hilarious St. Valentine's Day to all!  And a Happy Debt Ceiling Day too!

{But too bad for the vets not getting their cut reversed.  Hope they remember that on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.}