This is why it is impossible to have an honest negotiation with the GOP

[SeanL]

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/201...3E008002AA7B77

Well, that was quick. For some time it has been obvious to anyone paying attention what the true GOP budget strategy was: demand that Obama make proposals for entitlement cuts, and then they’ll just pronounce themselves unsatisfied with whatever he comes up with, and are indeed very likely to campaign in 2014 attacking him for whatever cuts take place.

But it turns out that they didn’t even wait for any actual budget deal. Here’s Marco Rubio yesterday (via Ezra Klein):

The first part is, of course, simply a lie: numerous reports tell us that McConnell did in fact make precisely that demand. And let’s remember this when Rubio makes his run for the White House: we already know that he’s an unprincipled liar. But anyway, you see how it will go — and why the whole notion of settling matters fiscal with a Grand Bargain was always crazy. You can’t make big deals with a totally untrustworthy negotiating partner.