Times columnist Thomas Friedman declared the G.O.P. 'a danger to itself and to the country' in his Wednesday column, 'No Christie, No Bargain [1].'
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey isn't going to run. That's too bad. He had a chance to rescue the Republican Party from its dash to the cliff and make President Obama a better leader, too.
Here's why: When the G.O.P. presidential candidates were asked during their debate on Aug. 11 whether any of them would accept a budget deal that involved $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in tax increases - and they all said no - the Republican Party officially became a danger to itself and to the country.
The G.O.P. became a danger to the country because it announced, in effect, that it would not be a partner for the kind of Grand Bargain that many economists believe we need - something that provides more near-term investment in the economy that spurs job growth, combined with a credible long-term plan to increase tax revenues and trim entitlements so the country's debt-to-G.D.P. ratio stays in a safe range. Such a Grand Bargain would simultaneously boost the economy and optimism by its economic logic and the mere fact of the two parties working together.
As long as we're juggling hypothetical numbers: Would Democratic politicians embrace a similar budget deal, one that involved, say, $9 in spending cuts for $0 in tax increases? Doubtful. Yet Friedman would be loathe to call the Democratic Party 'a danger to the country.'