The pantomime continues. NRCC Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) came out of the box swinging at Obama’s Chained-CPI proposal and then doubled down on his criticisms when first questioned about them. But, so far, that has earned him the promise of a primary challenge from the Club for Growth plus a reprimand from Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and even MSNBC host Joe Scarborough. If Walden doesn’t recant and shut up, there will no possible deal on entitlements.
“I’ve made it clear that I disagreed with what Chairman Walden said,” Boehner said, noting that he has spoken to Walden personally. “This is the least we must do to begin to solve the problem of Social Security.”
Cantor also spoke with Walden, and his spokesman said Cantor believes Obama’s “chained CPI” reform — which is at the heart of his entitlement changes — should be on the table.
“The leader believes chained CPI is one reform that must be considered in order to save Social Security for today’s seniors and future generations,” the spokesman, Rory Cooper, said.
“We always knew Greg Walden had a liberal record, but he really cemented it with his public opposition to even modest entitlement reform,” Club president Chris Chocola said in a statement released shortly before Boehner’s news conference.
SCARBOROUGH: I’m worried about long-term debt and I’m worried about my party being responsible. Bring up what makes me so angry, I don’t know what to do with my myself. Oh my god, this is unbelievable…
…Let me just say now. Anybody, any republican, any democrat that runs against responsible rational solutions to take care of our long-term debt is selling out our children, is stealing from the next generation. Its generational theft and for republicans to do this is beyond shameless. They did it in 2010. And to tell the president — we have been busting his chops for months, put it out there. Be responsible. The president has finally — he just tips his toe in the water and Greg Walden comes swinging. This is shameless. I know Greg. I like Greg. But I’m just telling you, any republican — you know what? I got to talk to Phil Griffin. I got to see if I can start a PAC and I can Bloomberg these republicans and democrats that demagogued this. This is pathetic.
Tell me again how the Republicans are going to get so much mileage over Social Security.
