I had not come upon this concept before, but I kinda like the analogy here:
My man Chuck Todd had a minor cow yesterday at the White House press briefing when Jay Carney refused to confirm or deny that the White House was considering the platinum-coin option as a response to the now-customary Republican legislative vandalism regarding the nation’s credit. (The White House actually has ruled out unilateral action under the 14th Amendment, which I consider unfortunate.) Chuck’s cow-having extended to his electric television show this morning, when he again pronounced himself concerned that the Democrats didn’t seem to be willing to categorically deny they were considering an option that Chuck and his guests — a former Bush II treasury dude and the economics guy from Buzzfeed — see as woefully not serious. The former C-Plus Augustus hireling suggested that a truly serious deal would be for the president to agree to the chained-CPI on Social Security benefits in return for a Republican promise not to mess with the debt ceiling this time around. So the platinum-coin option is a joke, but making it harder for old people to buy food in exchange for a Republican promise not to spray-paint graffiti all over the sides of the economy again is a serious plan. This is the way these people think. This is why my pundit re-education camp in the Smokies is an idea whose time has come…
Back in the day, “selling wolf tickets” meant trying to get your way, or trying to win an argument, by an implied threat or some kind. It was something like bluffing, but with an edge. The threat could be empty. Or it could be real. That didn’t matter. What mattered was that the person to whom you were selling your wolf tickets didn’t know if it was real or not. What mattered was whether you could sell your wolf tickets well enough to obtain the result you wanted. The president is getting better at it.
Consider: the president says that he “isn’t going to have this argument” over the debt ceiling again. In fact, there’s objectively nothing he can do about it. The Republicans can make him have the argument if they choose to do so. But, by boldly saying that he won’t have it, the president puts the Republicans in the position of being clearly responsible for whatever comes next and, therefore, if things break the way the current polls seem to be breaking, it also puts the Republicans in the position to see if they can become even more unpopular than lice and Nickelback…
***********
So, who’s selling wolf tickets in your neighborhoods this evening?
Baud
Here’s a compromise. In exchange for raising the debt ceiling, the Republicans get to call the debt ceiling increase bill the “Stop the President from Minting a Platinum Coin Act of 2013.” The country’s economy is saved, and Fox News can tell their
marksaudience that the Republicans stopped Obama from doing something bad.Win-win.
jl
The GOP House caucus is a self-renewing perpetual wolf ticket. Can/will it pass something non-insane? Can/will it pass something non-insane enough to prevent total mess? Will it make a difference?
Who knows?
I’m going back to bed until feeling better, and I hope all my damn hallucinations of civic insanity and national madness are gone by then.
I guess that is my wolf ticket for the next few days.
BTW, can we get these platinum coins at a discount if we order early?
Face
They’ll preempt the coin move by announcing intent to impeach if he mints. I expect him to declare this a Congress prob and go Galt on the whole mess.
dan
PLEASE everyone, stop the Nickleback hate. They are not THAT bad. They’re doing their best, for cryin’ out loud. They’re Canadian.
Violet
@dan: LEAVE NICKLEBACK ALOOONNNE!
Omnes Omnibus
@dan: One has to care quite a bit about something to hate it.
notgonnahappen
Why in hell are you devoting even 1 keystroke to Chuck “Romney has momentum, Obama campaign in serious trouble” Todd and his dumbfuckery?
http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/23/chuck-todd-too-late-for-obama-to-disqualify-mitt-romney-has-to-requalify-himself/
Hill Dweller
I’m still stunned by how fast the contrived lack of diversity controversy became accepted fact. High profile journalists parroted what was obviously a right wing talking point with glee. Dems subsequently attacked Obama for the lack of diversity. MSNBC and CNN covered like it was Watergate. Columnists, many “liberal”, attacked Obama for a lack of diversity in his cabinet. Hell, many claimed said lack of diversity exonerated Willard for his binder comments.
I actually watched it happen in real time, and it still borders on unbelievable.
This is the sort of shit that makes me believe the country is fucked.
RossinDetroit, Rational Subjectivist
@dan:
They’re bad enough. I’m gonna keep hating on commercial pop until Iron and Wine is a household name. IOW, forever.
? Martin
@Hill Dweller:
Fuckin’ Susan Rice, how does she work?!
JGabriel
Charlie Pierce via Anne Laurie @ Top:
It’s truly astounding that these idiots don’t seem to understand this isn’t just about Democratic vs. Republican fiscal goals. It’s about Presidential power.
President Obama is not going to fold on the debt ceiling this time, not just for himself, but because he doesn’t want to leave future presidents weakened by the same tactic. He feels it was a mistake the last time around, and that he must end this tactic now, before it becomes an entrenched Congressional negotiating tactic available to either side of the aisle against the executive branch.
.
22over7
@Hill Dweller:
Oh, cheer up. It’s a really slow news week. The news channels have twenty-four hours to fill up with SOMETHING, and this sounds modern and all.
The conservaderps are poking at you with a stick, because it’s fun and they don’t have anything else to do. Treat ’em like a fire hydrant.
PsiFighter37
@dan: Avril Lavigne divorced the lead singer of Sum 41 to marry the chump who’s the lead singer for this shitty-ass excuse of a rock band that plagiarizes THEMSELVES. What went wrong?
And yes, my friends and I would get drunk off our asses in 2007, way back in college, and blast “Girlfriend” because it was so damn awesome.
—–
On another note, I’m really tired of reading all the anti-Hagel stuff when it comes to Israel. That’s probably one of the better aspects of nominating someone who’s not going to kowtow to AIPAC running the show. Politico claims that Chuck Schumer is going to make or break Hagel’s nomination. I don’t believe that, but if the WH really wants Hagel, they better whip people into line. There is no point in giving free political points to the GOP when they deserve to have their necks stomped on right now.
Southern Beale
I’m floored that this whole “Obama has a diversity problem” meme has taken off. Amazing how quickly the MSM jumps on a right-wing talking point when it’s so carefully crafted. I mean, we all know the “liberal media” cares about diversity issues, right?
eemom
@PsiFighter37:
omfg.
in 2007, way back before I qualified for an AARP discount…
BGinCHI
As soon as the Dems or the WH can tie the gun nut insanity to the economic insanity by wrapping it up with a Tea Party bow we’ll finally get somewhere.
The watchers of Fox and listeners of Rush (Limbaugh, not the Canadian 3-piece) have gone bat shit the fuck crazy and there is nothing they should be having input on.
We’ve seen the enemy and they are them.
Suffern ACE
@Hill Dweller: well even the liberal Ezra Klein thinks that the president appointing familiar faces is strange. You know, considering how easy its been for the senate to appoint people. I’m sure appointing new unknown blood so that the press would have new and unexpected people to profile would be so easy.
pluege
taxing the rich is “boarding the base” of wealth in the US.
danielx
Well, let’s see, it’s January 10th and the legislature is in session, so it’s time for heinous fuckery by godbotherers.
Proposing to allow schools to require the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer by students, indeed…we don’t need no steenkin’ First Amendment around here, nosiree.
BGinCHI
@eemom: I have cheese in the drawer from 2007…..
PsiFighter37
@Southern Beale: If Obama nominates Jennifer Granholm as SecLabor, will that shut the haters up? (although, to be fair, Ted Strickland is probahly just as deserving – he didn’t deserve to lose in 2010, and he’s been an incredibly strong voice for the president and labor in Ohio)
Speaking of potential Cabinet appointees, I feel like Christine Gregoire should probably be up for something once she leaves office.
PsiFighter37
@Suffern ACE: That’s a stupid complaint to make. It’s pretty well-known that Obama prefers and trusts people he’s had around more.
Maybe he should put Valerie Jarrett in an official position just to make everyone whinge and moan about how there’s no “fresh blood”.
Suffern ACE
@PsiFighter37: I wish I were making it up, but Ezra’s blog on the failings of Obama admins new appointees to impress him is a new wankery high for mr. Ivy League.
PsiFighter37
@BGinCHI: I sure hope not…doesn’t cheese get moldy after a couple of weeks?
@Suffern ACE: Mr. Ivy League? I kind of resent that (I went to an Ivy League school), but yes, Ezra does have his moments of wankery. I feel like getting hired at WaPo is where he went wrong…he used to be really good back in the day, where “back in the day” is 7-8 years ago or so…
WaterGirl
@JGabriel: YES YES YES YES YES.
Please forgive the all caps, but President Obama is fighting for something very important here: the ability of our country to function.
BGinCHI
@PsiFighter37: Cheese is organized mold.
WaterGirl
@BGinCHI: My -ex used to say to his son, when he was getting a bit too cocky:
That pretty much always stopped Cody in his tracks. :-)
Hill Dweller
@? Martin: There was some(not enough) defense of Rice when she was being attacked, but this lack of diversity horse shit was gleefully spread by way too many people purportedly on our side.
eemom
Finel just put another gun thread up. SO new and exciting.
Hey AL — why not stomp him back with a thread about this? Speaking of recipes, it has the perfect ingredients for eleventy kinds of fun.
WaterGirl
@PsiFighter37: What’s this about Ted Strickland not running for governor? I was really shocked by that. Then I saw that Richard Cordray was contemplating a run for governor. I know Kay had said we should watch for Richard Cordray to be a political mover, but I was kind of shocked that he would consider leaving the new agency already. But I do believe you have to move when the timing seems right. (See Clinton, HIllary, 2004)
@efgoldman: Don’t forget to grab a chicken from the fridge on the way out so you can pay your doctor.
BGinCHI
@WaterGirl: I wore a shirt today I’ve had since 1990. LL Bean River Driver shirt.
And I’m not even very old.
Hill Dweller
@Suffern ACE: Klein’s desperate attempts to defend his wife, who wrote the NYT article on the lack of diversity in Obama’s cabinet, on Twitter was also pretty fucking lame.
WaterGirl
@BGinCHI: Excellent choice! That one’s a keeper.
RossinDetroit, Rational Subjectivist
@PsiFighter37:
Matthew Sweet? Wait. His damn awesome “Girlfriend” was 1991. Still is awesome, too.
I was in college in ’77. We were blasting The Ramones and Elvis Costello. I still do.
Suffern ACE
@Hill Dweller: oh. I was going to write that the reason the diversity complaints came out so swiftly is that the New York Times published that article. I didn’t know they were married.
Hill Dweller
@efgoldman: The timing of Cordray’s recess appointment allows him to serve until the end of this year.
eemom
moderateded, dunno what the fug I said. Was trying to share this link re the diversity issue. It’s MADE for this place, I tellz ya.
Ruckus
I knew that rethugs were becoming very unpopular, but I hadn’t considered they would be less popular than listening to nickelback while enjoying lice. I thought either one of those would be more popular but together, whoa, that’s low.
catclub
@BGinCHI: I am not sure if I still have shirts I inherited over 30 years ago, from my grandfather, but I may.
Raven
@BGinCHI: I have a short sleeved Pendelton (short sleeved wool!!) shirt that I bought in 1965.
Suffern ACE
@eemom: I’m starting to enjoy this.
We need fresh faces and new ideas! Now let’s turn to a 20 term congressman to see what he thinks the problem is.
BGinCHI
@RossinDetroit, Rational Subjectivist: I played the magnetism off a cassette of “Girlfriend” in 1992. Literally.
BGinCHI
@Raven: Coincidentally, the shirt in question was acquired from a lady friend on Hill Street in Athens, and is wool/cotton.
Raven
@BGinCHI: I’m witcha.
WaterGirl
@Hill Dweller: Right. Something about if he’d been appointed one day earlier the appointment would have ended this week, but because of the timing he got (basically) another year.
Regnad Kcin
AL, I am glad for your lack of exposure to this phrase. It is common among the recovering addicts I have known.
handsmile
Gee, since Ezra Klein is one of the very few Kaplan Test Prep Daily employees worth reading, I was surprised by the disparaging comments above. Having now read that “Wonkblog” item, I don’t understand the fuss. Klein was specifically addressing Obama’s so-called “line-of-sight” appointments to his economic team: “But [Lew’s] one more example of the president preferring old friends to new blood on his economic team.”
He was in no way participating in the “lack of [gender/race] diversity” horseshit that was flung out and legitimized by the NYT yesterday (and now a hit song on the Village Wurlitzer).
Like the recent calumny heaped on Kevin Drum for his platinum coin protests, following the slightly less recent praise heaped upon him for his “lead and violent crime” Mother Jones article, sometimes it’s hard to keep up with who passes muster here. (I do seem to recall that far-off time when Ezra Klein was considered one of the crucial must-read pundits during the ACA debates.)
Hob
@notgonnahappen: You don’t want people to waste attention on Chuck Todd… but you want them to read an article from the Daily Caller?!
J. Michael Neal
@Suffern ACE: Ezra Klein graduated from UCLA.
handsmile
@BGinCHI:
One of the best concerts I ever attended was at a small club in Cambridge, MA listening to Matthew Sweet and the band (including guitar god Robert Quine) on the “Girlfriend” tour. I’ll never forget a young woman exploding into frenzy at the opening bars of the title cut.
An incredible album to this day. (think I’ll go play it now)
kay
@WaterGirl:
I didn’t think Strickland should run. He was fine as gov ( although not really a liberal) but he needs a certain coalition, a certain math, to win here and that is changing. Any Democrat has to come up with a combination of voters to win statewide here, and I don’t think Strickland can do that now. Our ” math” changed.
I would love Cordray to run, but there are several others who coukd compete.
Judas Escargot, Bringer of Loaves and Fish Sandwiches
RIP Rex Trailer.
Any New Englanders of a Certain Age will remember Boomtown. And his later years of charity work.
Suffern ACE
@J. Michael Neal: I get his bio confused with Yglesias. My bad.
@handsmile: Dude, I didn’t accuse him of rat-fuckery. But high wankery it is. Good lord. He begins with an anecdote about how Jack Lew’s appointment was very predictable. Then meanders his way to an argument whereby these predictable appointments are very strange! Then we have these predictable and strange appointments are troubling! Why? Because we could use new ideas and different relationships. Perhaps? He’s not so sure.
I’m not certain what new ideas are being prevented, but they must be out there somewhere. Some might question…but wankery nonetheless.
kay
@WaterGirl:
Strickland is, I think, a liberal but as often happens he was much more…pragmatic IN office than OUT of office :)
He’s an advocate now, which is a little different role. More latitude, less responsibilty for outcomes. He’s a good advocate, though.
WaterGirl
@kay: Do you think it would hurt Cordray to compete in a primary? Would he be better off waiting until at time when there would be a clearer outcome?
BGinCHI
@handsmile: TT the Bears?
Middle East?
Which club?
Another Halocene Human
Interesting analogy.
I thought a wolf ticket was just “trouble”. And selling a wolf ticket was inviting another person to same. Hence the phrase, “I ain’t buyin’ no wolf tickets.”
Another Halocene Human
@BGinCHI: Whoa, TT the Bear’s and The Middle East are still around?
What about Ramrod and Avalon?
Another Halocene Human
@PsiFighter37: If Obama nominates Jennifer Granholm as SecLabor, will that shut the haters up?
I like the way you think.
Another Halocene Human
@Suffern ACE: Ezra Klein’s an idiot. He seems sincere. A sincere idiot. I guess if you need to check on an idiot’s opinion from time to time, and aren’t in the mood for malicious idiot, vicious idiot, delusional idiot, or sponsored by DuPont idiot (varietals easily obtained all over the MSM), then Ezra Klein is your man.
The notion that he is being groomed to replace shouty idiot Ed Schultz on MSNBC is nauseating. At least Ed is reasonably entertaining and puts on labor leaders regularly (nobody, not even La Rachel, does this). I like to have Ed on in the background when dusting and vacuuming. If he has a union president on I’ll go back to the clip when I turn the vacuum off.
handsmile
@BGinCHI:
OH MAN! The rush of memories you just conjured with those names! Many, many thanks, my friend!
But in fact, no, it was neither of those pleasure palaces. Struggling and failing to recall the name; it wasn’t a music club very long. It was located on Main Street, off of Mass Ave, a block or two down from Toscanini Ice Cream (since you quite obviously did some time in that burg as well). When was BGinCAMB?
handsmile
@Another Halocene Human:
It’s too late for a long disquisition and I’m about ready to turn off the intertubes for the night (so likely no reply until after sunrise and sufficient caffeine), but I am sincerely interested why you consider Ezra Klein to be an idjit. (I know the good folk at Jacobin magazine hold a similar opinion, but from what I’ve gleaned reading your commentary I don’t believe you’d be ideological kin.) He’s no Chris Hayes, but I do regard him with respect.
Any summary you’d care to provide to that question would be appreciated. (And I’d like to say, having read you over a number of months, how impressed I am with the number of sockets you seem plugged into.)
JGabriel
@efgoldman:
Einmal ist keinmal. Twice is a problem. Three times is a pattern. Four times is entrenched.
So, no, it’s not entrenched yet, but the GOP is trying to make it so.
.
Xenos
@BGinCHI: I am wearing an LL Beane belt my dad bought me in 1982. Somethings just don’t die.
Ben Cisco
I’d pay money to see that.
Omnes Omnibus
@Ben Cisco: Tear the roof off the motha-sucka.
Kay
@WaterGirl:
I don’t think primaries hurt Democrats in Ohio, so no. I think he would definitely be better off running for an open seat, because it’s easier and Republicans have such a horrible primary electorate now they may elect a candidate in the primary who is unelectable in the general. I definitely think he wants to return to Ohio, but he’s young enough to wait for a good year, so he may do that.
I think the two Obama campaigns (particularly the second one) have really changed the game here. I myself didn’t really “get it” until after the last election. It isn’t about “the lists” because the lists are specific to Obama, so the people who say all we have to do is get the lists and turn out those voters are wrong. It’s about a different method of identifying voters. Base + newly identified voters. Cordray (or any Democrat) will need his own list. We could probably replicate the process, but he isn’t going to be able to count on the “sporadic” voters the Obama+Brown campaign ‘found”.
I don’t think we can win the old way, where they would just motivate and turn out groups (Labor, The Base, etc.) and add up counties. That’s the Strickland model and I think it’s obsolete.
Cervantes
@Suffern ACE: I wish I were making it up, but Ezra’s blog on the failings of Obama admins new appointees to impress him is a new wankery high for mr. Ivy League.
Re “making it up”: Ezra Klein did not attend an Ivy League school.
Not that it matters, except in the context of what you said.
Yutsano
@Kay: BRING BACK JOSH MANDEL!!
Bulworth
This is gold, Jerry, gold!
...now I try to be amused
@Violet:
At first glance, I read that as
LEAVE NICKELBACK A LOOOONIE!
Bulworth
Leave Avril Lavigne aloooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeee