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Debt ceiling fight finally fizzles out

We have apparently come to an agreement on raising the debt ceiling. Republicans will support a bill that provides a one-time exemption from the filibuster, and Democrats will then pass the actual debt ceiling bill.

I guess I didn't really believe this until now, but the whole issue all along has been Mitch McConnell's desire to make sure that not one single Republican has to vote to increase the debt ceiling. He's convinced that this means Democrats will take the sole blame for all the new spending they've passed over the past year.

Whatever. I'm pretty sure Democrats are already on the hook for either full blame or full credit, and the debt ceiling itself doesn't matter. But what do I know about big time political maneuvering?

13 thoughts on “Debt ceiling fight finally fizzles out

  1. Ken Rhodes

    In a day of dwindling numbers of diehard Republican faithful, it is imperative for them to maintain the enthusiasm (fanaticism?) of their base. They are doing well at managing the election processes so that their substantially smaller total numbers can still control a lot of the elections.

    This is a vital nail for them to hold together that structure. If their diehards sense that the leadership is caving in to left-wing ideas like government borrowing, the fanaticism may be diminished, at which time the turnout may be diminished, at which time the Republican Party may become an artifact of political anthropology, like the Know-Nothings. So yes, this appearance is critical to them.

    The Democrats need to seize the initiative, beginning to campaign the day after the bill is passed. We need to learn a lesson from The Donald. The campaign is *always* going on, 24/7/365. Never let the airwaves be cluttered with only the noise of the opposition; make at least much as noise, and fill it with SHORT easily remembered slogans and sound-bites.

    "Democrats passed improvements to highways. What have Republicans passed? NOTHING."

    "Democrats passed improvements to healthcare. What have Republicans passed? NOTHING."

    1. Altoid

      IOW, it isn't about protecting any R senators' seats, it's about the R brand itself and how important that branding is to keeping the voters amped up? Makes sense to me, especially as marking the expiration of the short-term hall pass that let a bunch of his caucus drift from the phalanx to vote in favor of the BIF. Time to get back in uniform and lockstep.

      A corollary might be that over in the House, neither McCarthy nor any of the (mythical) "reasonable republicans" has the slightest tactical or strategic interest in reining in the Gohmerts, Gaetzes, Gosars, Greenes, Boeberts, or their ilk. That crazy is what keeps the brand strong and the turnout numbers up. Makes me wonder whether that's what Kinzinger and Anthony Gonzalez were seeing when they decided enough was enough.

      I couldn't agree more that Dems need to pound away loudly both on what they've done, and on what Rs have consistently tried their damnedest to prevent. They can't leave it to the press to define where the Rs are, can't subcontract that job but need to really blaze away at them. Like Willy Stark, shift away from solely high-minded speechifying and supplement with some goodly swings of the meat axe.

  2. Joseph Harbin

    "I'm pretty sure Democrats are already on the hook for either full blame or full credit..."

    Actually, Republicans are already taking credit for the new fed spending in their states and districts ... even when they voted against the bills.

    That won't stop them from blaming Democrats for the deficit either.

  3. cmayo

    I think that's being too kind. There are two actual factors here:

    1) Nothing can happen

    2) By withholding votes, McConnell makes it entirely on Democrats, and if by some chance Manchin or Synema decides that suddenly one of them is against raising the debt ceiling, the negative consequences of it all can be laid at Democrats' feet (in Republican eyes). Everything is a potential bartering chip with Republicans these days, even if they also want the thing or the end results of the thing (i.e., not blowing up the world economy).

  4. SecondLook

    Why there is a "debt ceiling" speaks more to the pathos of Congress over now many decades to try to keep some semblance of co-equal status with the White House and the Executive branch...

  5. randomworker

    Next time Democrats should do the exact same. Force McConnell to vome up with all the votes hisself.

    Hawley. Cruz. All of them. Will minority leader whoever have the guts? They better.

  6. Vog46

    Meh. If McConnell says we won't default then its political theater and nothing else.
    I can understand that during a pandemic spending will go up and revenues will go down. It's what happens in non pandemic years that is the issue. Neither D nor R have the stomach to say neither party can spend what they want ON what they want because the D;s want to help everyone. The R's want to help SOME people with tax cuts and increased military spending
    Both approaches are wrong and lead to long term debt but neither party wants to default either. McConnell has seen enough. He is discouraged by the likes of MTG and others calling for a default along with a government shut down.
    Its all rhetoric.

    1. MontyTheClipArtMongoose

      Discouraged by Marjorie Taylor-Greene?

      Hell, in 2026, he'll be endorsing her to unseat TERRIBLE CANDIDATE ( ( ( Jon Ossoff ) ) ).

  7. Vog46

    discouraged by MTG? No she is exactly what the voters wanted. Now that's she has gone off the deep end let's see if her voters want to keep her.
    THAT would be discouraging.

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