you re looking for the soul of the republican party these days, you have to look in two places. this is the part of the republican party we ve been hearing so much about over the last couple of years, the tea party, which is really a proxy for the base, republican base, low government, no taxes, fend for yourself. the base is where congresswoman michele bachmann lives with the rank and file who ve had enough of whatever or something. ms. bachmann left her presidential campaign in iowa today so she could vote on raising the debt ceiling, but she phoned the folks in iowa and called for a show of hands. let me ask you this question, raise your hands, do you want me to vote no on raising the debt
all hands on deck. government workers were briefed on what to do to shut down national parks. senior citizens were sent in to a panic about what was going to happen with their social security and medicare benefits. all over a resolution to continue to fund the government that republicans were holding up. self-created crisis in which republicans managed to extract billions of dollars in spending cuts at a time when the economy desperately needs more spending. and now this, the debt ceiling fight. republicans turning what has always been a routine congressional action in to an imminent and dire crisis, pushing the country towards the brink of default. at each point along the way, the stakes get higher and higher. the state of the unemployed, the fate of everyone who works for the government or uses government services and now the fate of global financial markets. each time this create a crisis strategy has been successful, wildly successful. each time the republican demands
republicans demands have been met and with each success they are incentivized to employ the strategy again. this has become the new normal in washington, so what we get are these self-created crises every few months and ab northerly insidious means of creating public policy. joining us now, eugene robinson, msnbc contributor, great to see you, gene. great to be here, chris. am i being hyperbolic, is this something you knew and or is this the way the system always works? it has certainly escalated, chris. look, this government, our political system has always worked best with a tight deadline. things tend not to get done until they have to get done, but you re right this is different. there was a familious quote from rob emmanuel when he was chief of staff a couple of years ago
have been met and with each success their insent vised to employ the strategy again. this has become the new normal in washington. what we get are all of these self-created crisises every few months and abnormal insidious means of producing public policy. joining us now is eugene robinson from the washington post. msnbc contributor. good to see you. good to be here. am i being hyper bollic. is this new and distinct, this kind of brand of self imposition of crisis? or is in the way the system always works? it has certainly escalated, chris. look, this government, our political system has always worked best with a tight deadline. things tend not to get done until they have to get done. but, you are right that this is different. there was a famous quote from rahm iman yul when he was chief
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