Unrestrained lunacy

John Boehner emailed his accomplices this afternoon that:

Discussions are underway on legislation that will cut government spending more than it increases the debt limit, and advance the cause of the balanced budget amendment, without job-killing tax hikes. Those talks are moving in the right direction, but serious issues remain. And no agreement will be final until members have a chance to weigh in.

The opportunity for sarcasm is too on-the-nose. I'll pass.

Meanwhile, the Senate's GOP leadership is breathing a political sigh of relief that was unimaginable just a few days or even a few hours ago. Said Mitch McConnell, with remarkable justification, on CBS's "Face the Nation":

I don't think we've been hurt at all.

And here's a fascinating possibility. Through a coalition of conservative Democrats and giddy Republicans, the GOP's extortion of course sails through the Senate. Yet the House Tea Party Caucus (who all along have insisted they'll vote against any increase in the debt ceiling) votes in negative alignment with infuriated House Democrats, thereby constituting the death of the deal. Whereupon the GOP, given its far superior messaging skills, delightedly relates to the American electorate that it was Congressional Democrats who precipitated what would then be a materialized default.  

Things cannot get any weirder than they are -- and at this grotesque point, no speculation is unthinkable. American politics is now defined only by unrestrained lunacy.

Comments

[Robert]

Per my earlier comment, I don't think Pelosi is going to let her caucus do something that stupid. Because every GOP clown who votes against whatever they finally come up with is setting themselves up for a whole series of "X voted to put the country in default" ads, to go along with the "X voted to kill Medicare" ads they'll be facing.

I know this deal is not what anyone who considers themselves a reasonable Democrat wants, but that's the price we're paying for Harry Reid not changing the rules of the senate & effectively making minorty congressional rule possible.

[wtf]

Great. No default, so that issue will be forgotten and the Republicans can run against the Democrats claiming they--the GOP--defended Medicare and Social Security against $4 trillion in cuts Obama wanted and a trillion in cuts in Medicare the Democratic Senate and House Democrats approved--to the opposition of Republicans. And apparently Obama has now put the Bush tax cuts on the table, saying he'll oppose extension of them IF the anti-democratic Super Committee doesn't agree to tax reform. In other words, he was opposed to the extension of the Bush tax cuts before he was for them, before he was against them before he might be for them.

[SueMe]

Maybe this is what Obama wants...all he has to do is let the Bush tax cut extention die on his desk in late 2012. We need to get people back to work...every unemployed person I know says they are eager to pay taxes again if they have a job. All of the above will solve the debt crisis,

[Bobfr]

I suspect a very large number of House Dems are going to vote no.

At least 100 Rs will vote no.

President Obama has been masterful, as always, in his efforts to govern democratically.

However, the reality of the situation, as you and anyone paying attention knows, is that the Radical Republican Party has intentionally extorted by holding not just the American economy but America’s stature as their hostage. That is a precedent that must be quashed.

What has also been obvious to anyone paying attention is that the Radical Republican Party is constantly overreaching. The President certainly knows it because he’s been dealing with these terrorists daily. My sense is that they will overreach one more time and Boehner has no way of containing the situation.

Speaker Pelosi and the House Democratic Leadership are intentionally forcing Boehner to show his hand. No House Democratic member has any reason to vote yes if substantial numbers of Radical Republicans vote No.

That’s the scenario I consider most likely. The bill will fail in the House. The extortionists will be fully exposed. The President will enforce the Constitution. The extortionists will be crushed in 2012.

Yes.We.Can. … DO.More.Together!

[Bobfr]

The following is a letter I just sent to Leader Reid and Leader Pelosi and then forwarded a copy to our dear President and Vice President:

Dear Leader Reid and Leader Pelosi,

At this point you and the President have done everything you possibly can given the Radical Republicans extortion tactics.

Please realize that millions of Americans are grateful.

Now, however, is the time to place the glaring light of accountability on the Radical Republicans.

Please request that the members of your respective Senate and House Democratic Caucus hold their vote until every Republican is on record with their vote. If the majority of Republicans in the Senate and House, respectively, do not support the legislation then please urge every member of your respective Caucus to vote NO.

If the Radical Republicans are not willing to overwhelmingly support the legislation they extorted then NO Democratic member of the House or Senate should support that legislation.

President Obama, duty sworn to protect and serve the Constitution, can act decisively through the Section 4 of the 14th Amendment and, even more importantly by his enforcing 31 USC 3103, to avoid default and protect the credibility of the USA.

But, under no circumstance, should the extortionists be allowed to prevail. If they are unwilling to overwhelmingly support the legislation their irresponsible actions forced to a vote, then no one should provide them any support.

Thank you,
Bob

Yes.We.Can. ... DO.More.Together!

[Bruce]

None of us know what is in the legislation. Boehner doesn't know how his caucus will vote. He's shown that he can't deliver votes. On that count I have more faith in Nancy Pelosi to round up the Democrats. We'll see how the votes stack up. Then we'll see what's really in the legislation. Who do you think has a better mastery of the gritty details of budgeting? We know who got the better deal on "cuts" last time around. At this point you might as well speculate about whether Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco will have Pro Bowl seasons for the Patriots.