There is a wide range of opinions on how the Republicans should handle the upcoming fiscal cliff:  from giving the Democrats everything they want to putting up a valiant fight for spending cuts in some sort of bipartisan effort.

Disgusted with the press coverage of conservatives, Canadian student Luke Stibbs of the University of the Fraser Valley (BC) has a bold plan for the GOP to follow.

We all know we’re in a tough spot as conservatives at the moment.  The most liberal President since FDR just won reelection, we’re approaching the fiscal cliff of expiring tax rates, and the Republican Party is purging the conservatives from key committees.

President Obama will be held responsible by less than 30% of people if the fiscal cliff goes badly, while Republicans will be blamed by more than 50%.  Knowing he holds this hand, President Obama is being openly disingenuous about what he hopes to achieve, casting every Republican attempt at compromise as an extreme right-wing solution.

The conservative media has been working feverishly to find the best route for the Republican Party, coming up with a variety of media-friendly solutions, which range from presenting the Bowles-Simpson plan to a new compromise with the President.  However, there is another option that has been passed around by some influential bloggers [language warning], and has now gone mainstream.  The logic is pretty simple. America voted for this President. Let them have what they asked for.  Let them have the massive tax hikes. Let them pass the new stimulus. Let them cut the military and project weakness to the world.  With the exception of Supreme Court Justices, let Obama do whatever Obama wants to do, because we all know that it will fail. Republicans, when presented with Obama’s plan, vote present, allowing it to pass with only Democratic support. Let them present the socialist budget. Let them destroy the wealth of generations, because it is the only way that the people will wake up.

Let the people who voted for Obama feel the full wrath of the spurned free market. Let them see how their jobs disappear, and gas prices continue to grow. Let them feel the weight of socialised medicine, as the doctor informs them that they can’t be treated at their annual check-up.

Let it Burn.

Stibbs concludes:

At the moment, I see no other plan with a higher probability of success; but no other plan damages the country as severely in such a short period of time. It is extremely high risk, extremely high reward.

As I am not an American myself, I can’t say that I accept that new pain. I can’t claim that my community would accept the short-term pain for long-term benefit. But if I were the Speaker of the House, I would allow Nancy Pelosi to submit her budget, and I would vote present.

If the debt ceiling limit were removed, as the Democrats propose, the country would probably burn — Greek style.