McConnell gets out his box cutter
As business leaders are demanding that congress raise the debt limit the Republican leadership is realizing that the same Tea Party movement that swept them to power has placed them in a box that they need to get out of. Along comes Mitch McConnell with his box cutter.
McConnell fall-back plan leaves debt ceiling hikes to Obama
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday laid out a plan that puts the responsibility for increasing the debt limit squarely on President Obama.
McConnell has called for Congress to pass legislation authorizing Obama to make successive requests to increase the debt limit.
Under the legislation, Congress could only block those requests by passing resolutions of disapproval, which would have to be supported by two-thirds of both the Senate and House to overcome an expected presidential veto.
Of course he may have to use that same box cutter to defend himself from some in his own party. I find it hard to believe that Republicans are still pushing for cuts in Medicare and opposing tax increases for the the top five percent of the population when every poll indicates they are on the wrong side.
I have doubts that this could make it through the House but I’m sure Boehner is looking for enough sane Republicans to pass it with the help of the Democrats.
14 Responses to “McConnell gets out his box cutter”
But why should any Democrat help him?
[...] Bolton / The Hill: McConnell fallback plan would leave debt-ceiling hikes to Obama Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Hill, Washington Monthly and Pew Research Center [...]
DQ
This is not a win win for Obama but it is a win. Not raising the debt limit would be a loss for the US and Obama and the Democrats. They should help the orange man because it will help them more than it helps him.
Ron Beasley wrote:
I would say that insofar as which major party is to blame, it depends on what happens or prevents the debt limit from being raised. (That’s probably on the minds of Democrats and the GOP; whoever prevents the debt limit in the end from being raised will be blamed by the public. That includes any big budget agreement, which of course isn’t necessary to raise that limit. If one party or the other is seen as preventing a vote to raise the limit, that’s who the public, at least the aware public, will blame.)
DLS
“If one party or the other is seen as preventing a vote to raise the limit, that’s who the public, at least the aware public, will blame.)”
You are right. But I think that’s why the McConnell deal would be a win for the Dems. I will be the first to admit that the Republicans are much better at messaging than the Democrats.
Ron,
Does the website you linked (RS-Redstate) really encourage sending Senator McConnell A TOY WEASEL. They actually feel betrayed by McConnell’s wish to raise the debt ceiling.
“2014 cannot come soon enough to destroy the political future of this weasel.”
I am speechless
“Tea Party movement that swept them to power has placed them in a box that they need to get out of”
No, it’s the old guard Republicans that refused to consider military cuts.
McConnell’s idea is blatant act of passing the buck. No, it’s not even that good. He’s trying to effectively repeal the debt ceiling while pretending that he didn’t.
Is anyone here fooled?
Wow, Ron, D.R. Welch is describing how progressives feel about Obama lately. [grin]
I believe I share your (Ron’s) suspicion that McConnell doesn’t want to be seen as being in the party and among those responsible for failure to raise the debt limit ultimately.
Prof: Does the “Old Guard” stuff remind you of Dole 1996? [scowl]
[...] McConnell gets out his box cutter (themoderatevoice.com) [...]
I suspect that Obama is setting himself up as a known who is similar to Romney and much better than a Republican crazy train like Bachman. I suspect the nominee will be Romney. The movers and shakers of the Republican party are encouraging Rick Perry to take support from Bachman and smooth the path for Romney.
In spite of all their bitching liberals/progressives will vote for Obama. Obama at this point is going for the independents.
It would be intriguing if Perry got to be Romney’s VP.
Still sacrificial lambs in 2012, I believe, however.
Didn’t we already have an election between Obama and Obama-lite?
I am officially maxed out on cynicism. We’ve spent months wringing our hands over spending too much over not taxing enough, and meanwhile Wall Street is bailed ouit and quite profitable, thank you very much.
Murdock’s empire has a 4 billion dollar negative tax bill because it ranks third in off shore tax havens here they send their profits while holding their expenses on shore. Murdock is just one, it’s apolitical robbery.
The corporate tax laws are designed to minimize taxes. Taxes can be smoothed out over decades to minimize what’s owed. Who wouldn’t want to average one’s income today with what you made 20 years ago?
it’s not how much an entity is taxed, it is how much profit can be hidden that never gets taxed.
let’s argue abortion or guns instead, they have as much to do with what is going on as deficit / debt. We don’t have access to changing the real, underlying problem built into our system.