I'm just wondering… When Obama was at the negotiation table, where was his back up against the GOP?

[MrScorpio]

Where are they now?

Why are the Republicans allowed to run roughshod over everything and mostly unmolested?

What is THEIR price for failure?

We're constantly reminded with what that price is for the President, from all sides, mind you. But why aren't the Republicans getting at least the same treatment, if not, worse? Can anyone answer that? Because I can't figure it out.

It's quite obvious that the GOP's shitty preexisting policy positions, which can't be simply overturned with a snap of the fingers, the air of phony legitimacy ingrained in the body politic and media as well and their ability to gum up the works at any given time is the central problem that has to be dealt with. Sure, they represent THEIR constituents; the rich, the corporations, the authoritarian fetishists, the haters and the terminally stupid, but let's face it, they aren't everyone. Yet, they seem to have most of the clout, which the GOP can depend upon keep their shitty preexisting policy positions and phony airs on the table and we're restricted, by popular demand, to play with the GOP's loaded dice.

They, not the Left, are the Default. Crony capitalism, militarism, worship of the oligarchical classes, corporate and privatization fetishism… You name it, they are the Gold Standard… Not Democracy and the Public Sector. The GOP's mantra is that government does not work, then they're given the keys to prove it. What is their price for intentional failure? Again, I can't figure that out. So far, they operate like a massive octopus of horrible ideas, while the Left is made up of a gaggle of disparate flounders, unable to agree on anything.

We can't beat them like that.

I'm just not seeing a mass effort on our part to deal with it, outside of the reaction due to the Great GOP overreach of 2011. Hey, that was some great stuff, but it's only dealing with the fringe of Republican bullshit, not the meat and potatoes.

Sure Obama took the job, a thankless one at that. But also I remember that people stayed at home when it was their time to step up and things only got worse, which didn't make his job, or our attitudes, any better.

Again, I see the signs that we're about to do ourselves another disservice and instead of making the GOP pay for their crimes, we're about to flagellate ourselves in their stead.

By the way, I'm not going to bite anyone's head off because I disagree with anything they have to say, and I'm sure that many of you will have angry replies.

But really, the GOP has caused or lead on 99% our problems, because they are the MOST dishonest brokers alive, and we are bound to play within the rules of the game, even when those rules put us at a disadvantage….

So, when, where and how are the Republicans going to be hamstrung for their crimes and misdemeanors and what army, besides a President who's all by his lonesome right now, is going to do the necessary hamstringing?

I await your consideration.