Obama Responsible For GOP 'Civil War' Says Krauthammer

Says president aimed to divide and conquer over tax rates

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/12/krauthammer-obama-caused-gop-civil-war-152935.html?hp=l2

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer isn't surprised at the fiscal cliff impasse. In fact, it's all by design - President Barack Obama's to be precise. "How did he do it? By always insisting from Day One after the election that Republicans had to raise [tax] rates," Krauthammer told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

"He's been using [the fiscal cliff talks] - and I must say with great skill, and ruthless skill and success - to fracture and basically shatter the Republican opposition," Krauthammer said. "The only redoubt of the opposition is the House. And his objective from the very beginning was to break the will of the Republicans in the House, and to create an internal civil war. And he's done that."

But the conspiratorial tone of Krauthammer's theory doesn't quite add up. On the campaign trail in 2012 President Obama explicitly called - repeatedly - for tax rates on high-income earners to go up.

Via Politico.

Do you agree with Krauthammer on this?

[Sonny]

I think Krauthammer is "out-to-lunch" on this one. The real cause for the GOP Civil War...is the so-called "tea-party". They are the lunatic fringe that has said from day one..."No Compromise". And they don't seem to understand, that if you are a member of Congress, and YOUR guy is NOT in the White House **And** The Senate is also lead by the other party----Then the ONLY choice you DO have is to Compromise...But that's the very thing that those amateur "tea-party" types just don't seem to grasp. They ARE the real problem for the GOP---and for America!---And frankly they all need to go!

[mimi57]

You do know he's a psychiatrist, right?

[Sonny]

@mimi57 I do indeed, know that MImi. And happy new year to you!...But in this case, I don't think he has thought this one completely through...I mean...he puts NO blame at all on the Republican Party itself!?!?! And anyone looking at this...would know in an instant they they have (and currently have) had their own internal problems long before Obama came along---and the so-called "tea-party" just made things worst!

[mimi57]

@Sonny Happy New Year to you also. When does a liberal take the 'blame' for
anything? Ever?... No, personally, Romney was not my favorite candidate, I knew
his religion would haunt him and the left would use it against him, and they did. The Tea Party is reacting to outrageous tax hikes that are breaking the backs of
Americans, we can not continue to tax and spend, we can not keep spending, we
are broke and China owns us. I don't see Obama as someone who reaches across the aisle to anyone...and as much as I hate to say it, Boehner is from my
State and is a wimp. Obama plays Chicago Politics, my husband is from there
and knows all about how they 'roll'. If you have time, read up on it, it's quite fascinating really. As dirty as they come, but fascinating no less.(:

[Zazziness]

You've got that right. They are extremists, represent only one small segment of American citizens, and they seldom even understand the Constitution which governs us. Whatever they began to be, they derailed very early and haven't gotten back on track.

[CATTLEPROD]

And I dont think that you understand that the house is co-equal with the president, and in charge of the purse. Just because barry got re-elected as president doesnt make him king, YET. I'm sure he's working on that as we speak.

[Coolvoter]

Can't the GOP take responsibility for anything?
It's hardly obamas fault that the GOP are mostly old, rich, stupid, and/or bigoted in their beliefs.
They are fighting amongst themselves, and have been since Obama took office.
It's sad that they honestly cant seem to get over this whole black man in office.
What's more funny is the talk about the takers, and noone paying taxes, yet they make mormons an established religon probably getting them tax exempt status, so they can be takers too.
What's more,

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

You said that you were a conservative supporting smaller government. Really? All I ever see you do is bash Republicans and promote Democrats. Some small government conservative you are.

[hwyangel]

This isn't a racial issue, it's a tax issue. The house of representatives refusing to raise taxes to cover Obama's out of control spending. Obama overextended himself during the first two years of the Democratic controlled Congress and now he needs to raise taxes to cover his failed policies.

[armed_liberal]

@hwyangel , it's Iraq, Afghanistan and the Bush bank bailouts that we need to pay for. Bush ran up more debt than any president in history.

[Phreakwars]

@hwyangel Obama didn't do the spending, Republicans did. We are constitutionally obligated to pay for our debts, Republicans don't want to do that. One of the MAJOR debts we have, are those tax cuts for the wealthy we had to borrow money from China to pay for, the war we never paid for, and Medicare part D that wasn't paid for. Remember those 2 stimulus checks most people got back before Bush left? Those weren't paid for either, we borrowed money from China to do that... guess what... the bill has come due, and Republicans don't want to pay it. This is completely their fault, anyone who can't see that, needs to change the channel they are watching and wake up.

[hwyangel]

@Phreakwars

The combination of TARP lending in 2009 and Fannie and Freddie bailout much of that money being paid back in 2010 makes Obama's spending record for 2010 look $317 billion thriftier than it really was. Only by that measure does Obama "cut" spending by 1.8 percent in 2010. Those two bailouts account for $72 billion more in cuts in 2011. Obama supported the bailouts. A fairer reading is an almost 8 percent increase.
It also assumes Obama had less of a role setting the budget for 2009 than he did with the supported the bailouts.

[mimi57]

He said a lot of things on the campaign 'trail' and most were lies, including 'uniting
the country' and having a more 'transparent' government. He's been too busy doing other more important things...run the government?.. That's the presidents job! Too bad he wasn't 'too busy' to run in the first place, I mean with all that "Chicago Organizing" and all...

[Sonny]

He can't force people to "unite" if they are clearly determined NOT to do so....He is only one man...Not "superman"..And it was guys like Mitch McConnell who clearly said from the very beginning..."My only goal is to make Obama, a one term President"...Rush Limbaugh said from day one..."I hope that Obama fails".---Does any of that sound like people who want to be "united" to you? He is, and has always been "running the government". But again, he is just one part of the entire government....He can only do his part...If he can not get any kind of "deal" or "cooperation" from house republicans...then some things simply will not get done right away...Notice I said "right-away"...Becau se sooner or later, they will, its just a matter of time, before the grown-ups on the republican side start to take over and help to get things done.

[bsking]

@Sonny yep plus it's kinda hard to unite people when you spend 99.9 percent of your time dividing people .

[martydotcom]

@bsking When he majority go endorse what you're saying there is always going to be those who disagree... That's the definition of the term minority. Get used to it.

[Sonny]

@bsking Correct---so please tell that to Mitch McConnell, Rush Limbaugh, Eric Cantor, Jim Demint, Donald Trump, All of the Republicans in the House of Reps. Sean Hannity, Glen Beck, The "tea-party", most of the right wingers on this site, Mitt Romney------Wow! too many to list...But I'm sure you get the point.

[bsking]

@martydotcom tell you what why don't you regroup and get back to me when you can make some sense

[bsking]

yeah I won't be too surprised if he's not responsible for a bigger Civil War either

[hwyangel]

I would agree but I think Americans have gotten too lazy.

[DogLady_1]

Sorry Krauhammer, but the contention existed long before Obama came into the picture and you know it... The utter arrogance of the GOP in the past 2 decades has caused the factions that already existed to become so wide that members of congress can't even reach over to get anything done... The dems decided to play the GOP stupid game of partisanry too and now the entire congress is disfunctional, childish and incapable of good statemanship or making good decisions in the best interest of the nation. We give media commentators way too much credit. The American people have become lazy in their persuit of the truth... We have exactly the congress we voted for.

"Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one or the other." -James Harvey Robinson

[HughAkston]

Precisely! We have what we voted for. What we have today is not the result of our failures but rather the result of our successes. What we have is what millions of people have wanted and fought for. I hope they enjoy it as it isn't going to last very long.

[Thunderchicken]

Just like Obama used his birth certificate, he's using taxes as a distraction. And the Republicans keep falling for the same old stuff. The real problem is the spending. Unless we get serious about addressing that, everything else is just another distraction.

[marine1]

why is this so hard for everyone to see. Simple home economics, we can no longer afford HBO & CENAMAX so we cut it fro our monthly expense.

[Bobolinsky]

I agree. President Obama is trying to break the back of the fiscal conservatives and get the Republican Establishment to reject us in favor of the Social Right, the Big Government Republicans and the wishy-washy "go-along-to-get-along republicans."

He'd love to declare at his 2013 SOTU that the "era of small government is over."

[PNWest]

Obama was not responsible for the likes of Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock, Sarah Pailin, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Allen West, Joe Walsh, etc. It is idiots like these that are destroying the party. If Krauthammer wants to see whats wrong with the GOP he ought to just look in a mirror.

[mtkopf]

@PNWest Joe Walsh...that guy is a piece of work. He comes to my door to campaign.

[mtkopf]

@PNWest I asked him how could he preach about fiscal responsibility when he owed over $100,000 in back child support? He about had a coronary. Joe Walsh what a weenie.

[Bobolinsky]

@PNWest-- Is that all you can do? Accuse republicans and conservatives of being nothing more than the straw men the Left has constructed of us?

It all Akin, Bachmann, and "wide stances" for you isn't it? It's all about social issues to you.

[Bobolinsky]

@mtkopf

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappaquiddick_i...

[Zazziness]

Once again, the "party for personal responsibility" can't take responsibility for their own problems. There has always been friction between old-school Republicans who believe in personal liberty and fiscal responsibility and the whackjob extremists the GOP has courted with such vigor these last decades. Every time they lose an important election, the moderate Republicans make noises about resisting the extremists and coming back to more reasonable positions. That would be good, too, except I notice the moment their strategists decide extremism is fashionable again, they're back at the crazy.

[mimi57]

Who is the president right now? Who has been the president for four years?...
Crazy?...In all my life I have never seen a government crazier.. Who is in charge?
Who is the POTUS, who is the Commander in Chief ? Bush was no fiscal conservative and did damage with his spending, so, I guess the answer is to
spend more, triple more?... We are broke.

[Zazziness]

Mr. Obama is not causing the friction in the GOP. The GOP is at war with itself because it is made up of old school Republicans who do not like the Tea Party extremists and the Tea Party narcissists who don't like anyone but themselves. That's what's causing friction and only the GOP can solve it, hopefully by divorcing themselves from their fringe elements.

[Antiecm]

Screw this. Republicans must band together and give Obama nothing. Let him take us over the cliff and let everyone see what he has done and is capable of. Nothing but a giant mess. Do not agree with anything Obama wants. Let the Bush tax breaks expire and lets see what Obama does as he becomes the President that destroyed America. Personally I hope he puts us in a Recession that makes the 30's recession look like a party. So do not bend, do not sway. Stick together. He made his bed, let him lie in it.

[Denizen_Kate]

Perhaps you should study the Great Depression before wishing it on the American public. You aren't a sadist, are you? Would you really wish that sort of devastation on us just to spite a POTUS you abhor? Careful what you wish for!

[Antiecm]

@Denizen_Kate All I am saying is the working people, the Republicans, will pay the tax and keep right on peddling. The people that voted for the Bama, can be happy he is leading the way. Of course, if they are starving and fighting among themselves, how is that our problem. Anyway, have fun, enjoy yourself getting what you asked for. Me I gotta go, I think I will go out and buy a couple thousand dollars more emergency foods supplies for me and mine.

[Denizen_Kate]

@Antiecm - following a thoughtless comment with another. Republicans are the only people working for a living? Either you're not using your brain or you don't have one. Or perhaps its just arrogance. As to what I want - I want all of our representatives to learn the meanings of words like compromise and accomodation.

[Antiecm]

@Denizen_Kate It's a fact, the Republicans are the working people. In point of fact, many of the so called Democrats are in fact Republicans. Do you waqnt to earn what you can and keep the money you worked for to spend as you see fit. If so then welcome to the Republican party. If you stand for killing unborn children, men laying with men, women laying with women, many different abominations before God, or if you think the working people should hand out the money they worked for to dopers, whores, thieves, malcontents, then truly, you are a democrat.

[Denizen_Kate]

@Antiecm - the GOP used to be about smal government and fiscal conservatism. The last couple of decades, the GOP has been overrun with right-wing Chistian holier-than-thou, live-like-I-say, fearful and hateful lunatics and fanatics. Count me out. I don't care what other consenting adults do, I think every woman should make her own choices and deal with her own consequences, and I, like every liberal or conservative of my acquaintance, have been working and paying taxes since I was 16. IMO you and those who think like you are a very LARGE part of the problem with America today. FYI I'm not a Democrat either, and I have a section of my garage full of survival supplies.

[Zazziness]

Your own comment suggests that what *you're* capable of is wishing for harm to our entire nation in a tantrum because your candidate was not elected. Not very impressive statesmanship.

[tomincali]

seems the president has done that very thing with most of the country as well.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

The country works best for liberals when everyone is divided. That way the people are not paying attention to how the liberals are dismantling the country piece by piece. In 20 years you won't be able to recognize America. So much of our culture, our values, our traditions, and the benefits of our hard work are already gone.

[martydotcom]

@Neo_NtheMatrix best blaming others for your own internal self destruction. Conservative denial it responsibility... so typical you guys are so predictable .

[Denizen_Kate]

@Neo_NtheMatrix - dismantling piece by piece, Neo? Which right wing pundit are you quoting?

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Denizen_Kate - I quote no one. Can't you see it yourself? Don't you see what will happen to this nation when obama takes us over the fiscal cliff? If the people don't want tax increases, why won't obama support their wishes? If the people want an end to the spending, why won't obama stop spending? We're headed for disaster, and yes liberals are dismantling the country piece by piece. You used to be a fiscal conservative. You should be mad as hell at obama's fiscal irresponsibility. Instead you applaud it.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

I'm going to start calling out people who claim to be conservatives and demand that they promote conservatism once again.

[DARSB]

I guess Mr Krauthammer has forgotten the internal feuding the Republicans exposed during the debt ceiling/credit rating downgrade back in August 2011- when they were all sure Mr Obama was destined to be a single term President.

[RobertJHarsh]

...and if it weren't for the gimmedat welfare trash becoming the majority Comrade Soetoro would have been a one termer.

[DARSB]

@RobertJHarsh Hardly. Movement conservatism has been enormously successful in alienating voters and emasculating the Republican Party. Along the way it adopted a self-serving mythology that splits people into 'makers' and 'takers' - ignoring the 'fakers' like Ayn Rand, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. A shame for sincere conservatives looking for a serious party and a real risk to the immediate future of the nation.

[Politicskid]

I agree. Obama is obviously using this to divide Republicans...he even threatened to blame the GOP on the fiscal cliff if a deal isn't reached. He's one of the most partisan presidents ever.

Frankly, I don't think Obama cares if everybody's taxes go up. It gives him more power.

[Denizen_Kate]

The GOP is dividing itself. You and Krauthammer are giving Obama too much credit.

[Politicskid]

@Denizen_Kate Everybody in the GOP agrees taxes shouldn't be raised on anybody and spending should be cut. What we disagree on is whether to accept our political disadvantage or fight for a better America.

[Denizen_Kate]

@Politicskid - How very noble. You don't really believe that everyone in the GOP agrees on anything, do you?

[Dan_Tien]

So he thinks none of this is about the death spiral of our economy, it's all about making the Republicans fight each other?

[Vance1]

YES, The Obama is the great divider.
He used Class Warfare to win an election, Because the takers all ran out to vote for something for nothing. Well Done! You killed the future for all young Americans

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

The sad part is there are fewer and fewer of us makers and more and more of those takers. Soon we will be outnumbered, if we aren't already outnumbered. Once that happens, it is officially over with for America. How did any group of people come to the conclusion that everyone could live off the work of only a few people. So sad...

[Vance1]

@Neo_NtheMatrix
Yes I agree 110%!!
we already have 47% who want complete socialism, and the ruination of the American dream, its indeed truly sad

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Vance1 - Yet I see liberals and supposed conservatives arguing on these very boards for more and more and bigger and more intrusive government. They argue for more taxes, as if Americans just have money to burn. They NEVER ask for the unproductive class to give up anything, or at least just contribute a fair day's work. What is in the water that these people drink?

[ConserveUSA]

We shall begin a fight for America!!!!!

[Vance1]

@Neo_NtheMatrix
Indeed, allow means testing for food stamps

[questioner]

translated: Obama Responsible For me being constipated Says Krauthammer
another translation: ANY problem is caused by Obama. The GOP doesn't want to take responsibility for anything.

[Sabio]

anything to make conservatives look like "the mean old grinch" so he can get more welfare votes next go around!

[ConserveUSA]

I agree! I say Stand Your Ground! GOP TODAY, TOMORROW, & FOREVER!!!!

[Sabio]

@ConserveUSA AMEN to that brother, enough is enough!

[ConserveUSA]

Obama: The divider of men.

[ConserveUSA]

I am really tuning in to Sean Hannity & Glenn Beck!

[Pflack]

If you read Krauthammer's column you would probable find he reaches a bit to far right to be believed or credible in my opinion. Just my 2 cents worth.