The problem with this type of operant conditioning is that if the rewards and punishments are delivered randomly, the elephant may keep trying to get the reward.
Obama should have said “No” unconditionally the first time the destruction caucus tried to cause mayhem, AND every time thereafter.
Did you not notice the near economic depression in 2008? Yes there is debt. President Bush and Obama reacted appropriately to address the economic crisis. That cost money. Under President Obama that debt is now coming down. Under President Bush the debt went in one direction – Up. Due to overly costly Medicare prescription drug benefit and two costly wars, one optional and one poorly executed.
What will we give you? A ticket home to ‘spend more time with your family.’