One of the most boring things in the world is watching John Boehner try to figure out how to pass a clean debt-ceiling hike with a majority of Republican votes in the House. It’s an example of the Republican majority having to deal with the repercussions of politicizing the debt ceiling over the entirety of the Obama presidency.
The way I usually describe this is as “being high on your own supply of bullshit.” Members acted like raising the debt ceiling to pay the country’s bills was some kind of irresponsible betrayal, despite the fact that we were in the midst of the Great Recession, and despite the fact that they didn’t raise a peep about raising the ceiling when President Bush asked them to do it.
They were always denying any validity to Keynesian economics, even though they have no real alternative theory for how to end a recession. They kept insisting that we were bankrupting the country, despite the fact that we print our own money. It was always about mortgaging our kid’s future. So much bullshit. Over and over, they repeated it. Nagging and scolding about the deficit became so hip that the Obama administration began echoing some of their talking points. “The government cannot create jobs.” More bullshit.
So, now, when it comes time to pass a clean hike, Boehner has a bunch of members who have promised never to do that, and who believe it wouldn’t matter a whole lot if the country defaulted on its debt. The mouth-breathing base has been drinking this bullshit like mother’s milk for five years now.
I don’t care about Boehner’s predicament. He can figure it out on his own.
One thing I can promise you, when and if the House fails to pass a debt-ceiling hike, the press will trumpet about how “Obama failed to work with Republicans” and “Democrats caused the bill to fail because they wouldn’t compromise.”
Worse yet, Harry and Barack might get so weak kneed that they make major concessions.
If the Democrats gave a shit, they’d tell Boehner to get rid of the debt ceiling altogether or fuck off.
It’s worth it to watch heads explode over at redstate.
You’re a better human than I if you can actually go over and rummage through the spittle and oozing stupidity of a conservative site.
I find reading those fools really funny. No worries; in time, they’ll all die off. Meanwhile, enjoy all that’s good in the world.
You do realize that this is the one topic Obama will stand completely firm on, right? He’s done it twice already.
He won’t give in because that would enable terrorism against any successive President by the Congress. He stopped it in its tracks the last time and will do so again this time. That’s why the GOP is so feckless this time around. They know he won’t bend, no matter what they say.
Still, if the first vote fails, then he should round all of the GOP up and send them to Gitmo for sedition.
That’s exactly right. They will lose again. They get nothing. How many times does the GOP have to test this one? How many times do they have to take a vote on ACA? It’s the same crap over and over and over.
Can’t you just leave Voice in the Wilderness alone to proclaim his ideological purity?
It’s not about ideology. It’s about predicting public reaction.
You seem to think that the general public loves Obama and hates Republicans. Then why all the worry about losing the Senate and despair at taking the House?
Get out of the bubble and into the street. LISTEN to the public.
“You seem to think that the general public loves Obama and hates Republicans.”
So does every polling outfit on the planet. Obama’s approval rating is in the 40s. The Congressional GOP approval rating is somewhere in the high teens or low 20s.
“It’s not about ideology. It’s about predicting public reaction.
You seem to think that the general public loves Obama and hates Republicans.”
Setting aside the poll mentioned above, where exactly did I say this? Just because I’m not in a defensive crouch waiting for Obama to sell us out doesn’t mean I think he’s the greatest ever or that I think he’s viewed any particular way by the public.
It’s my take on your “ideological purity” remark which is often thrown by Obama lovers.
I said “when and if”. I didn’t say it would happen. I was predicting the results if it did happen. The post I was responding to implied that the media and country would blame the Republicans. Not so.
The criticism you are getting is about the “weak-kneed” part of your post, which is pure paranoid fantasy.
There will be no concessions to the GOP over a debt ceiling hike.
Period.
Full stop.
They have both caved before.
One of the most boring things in the world is watching John Boehner . Leave it at that.
Like watching orange paint dry.