I often say that political parties are poison. Catherine Rampell's statement about the Democrat's "tactical" blunder inadvertently illustrates why.
Rampell is correct that from a national interest standpoint, this was a tactical error. Buf from a Democratic Party standpoint? Not so much.
Don't get me wrong. The Democrats are the only sane political party we have, and there is a rational argument to be made that anything that is good for them will ultimately be good for the country.
However, it should be noted that what is in the medium-term best interest for the Democrats can be in the short-term worst interest of the country. If I'm a political strategist and I decide during the lame-duck period that the overriding concern is booting Republicans out of the House in 2024, then I am going to recommend intentionally *not* resolving the debt ceiling issue before the end of the term.
As many people have observed amidst the recent schadenfreude-fest of Kevin McCarthy's abject humiliation, Hakeem Jeffries has learned well from Nancy Pelosi. In particular, he knows not to interfere when your opponent is self-destructing. This is why the Democrats didn't seek to actively broker a deal for saner leadership, deciding that the Republicans would need to be the ones to take the initiative. And the party has remained steadfastly united behind him.
Democrats knew what Republicans were going to do if they allowed it. And they also have the benefit of knowing what happened the last time the Tea Caucus pulled this shit – the public blamed the Republicans (as they should have). But our bond rating was nevertheless damaged by the mere threat of default.
With such a narrow House margin, the Democrats astutely realize that Republicans are only hurting their chances of maintaining their majority beyond this term. Thus they have handed them the rope to hang themselves with. And with them, our country's good name and financial solvency may also end up twisting in the wind.
That last being the real problem. If not for that, I'd be all in on letting the bastards self-destruct and hang themselves on this. Just don't think the price of a govt. default worth it in either the short or long run, since the consequences could well outrun any of those concerns by a country mile. We've been plenty of places we haven't been before already of late. Don't think we need to add to the list at this moment in that way.
Would have been happier if the Ds had squelched the flames on this one before they could start this time around, and let the sob's self-destruct in other ways (along with any help the Ds might provide), since they seem to be showing some promise in that department.
If those a-holes manage to run us over the financial cliff this time around, we'll all likely end up hanging together, but not for any noble reason or cause.
I suspect the Dems know they have enough GOP votes to pass the debt ceiling raise. They've probably been twisting certain arms with the help of GOP Senators. McTurtle knows letting the anarchists in the house kill off the GOP is not in the best interest of GOP Senators or his hope to retake the Senate majority.
Also, in this case I think what the Democrats know is that Republicans simply aren't going to be able to sustain their ridiculous position for very long. It will be the political equivalent of threatening to hold your breath until you die. Something will give. Unfortunately, our bond rating may already have a downgrade baked in as a result of this idiotic political brinkmanship.
If I understand correctly, the problem is not having the numbers to support it. The problem is that the crazies managed to negotiate a controlling share of the rules committee, which can ultimately control which items are allowed to proceed to the floor.
This has always been one of the biggest problems with Congress. We'd almost certainly have had a comprehensive immigration package years ago when one passed the Senate, if not for John Boehner preventing it from getting a vote in the House (where it would likely have passed). Why deprive your party of a politically salient issue to gripe over by actually solving a problem? It pisses me off to no end the way something can have ample support in Congress and yet a small number of jerks in leadership positions can keep it buried.
The only saving grace here, if you want to think of it as such, is the instability of this whole deal given that any member of Congress, Democrat or Republican, can force a referendum on McCarthy at any moment. How that would actually shake out though, and whether it would be for better or worse, is anyone's guess.
I'd rather you be right than wrong, of course. I just don't have any confidence in anyone in Congress with an R after their name at this point. There may be some acting in good faith, or at least something resembling it. But not nearly enough. And the complete lack of that as a party, whether by action or inaction vis a vie the welfare of the country writ large, makes it pretty hard for me to see this as anything other than the unnecessary threat and danger that it is.
I often say that political parties are poison. Catherine Rampell's statement about the Democrat's "tactical" blunder inadvertently illustrates why.
Rampell is correct that from a national interest standpoint, this was a tactical error. Buf from a Democratic Party standpoint? Not so much.
Don't get me wrong. The Democrats are the only sane political party we have, and there is a rational argument to be made that anything that is good for them will ultimately be good for the country.
However, it should be noted that what is in the medium-term best interest for the Democrats can be in the short-term worst interest of the country. If I'm a political strategist and I decide during the lame-duck period that the overriding concern is booting Republicans out of the House in 2024, then I am going to recommend intentionally *not* resolving the debt ceiling issue before the end of the term.
As many people have observed amidst the recent schadenfreude-fest of Kevin McCarthy's abject humiliation, Hakeem Jeffries has learned well from Nancy Pelosi. In particular, he knows not to interfere when your opponent is self-destructing. This is why the Democrats didn't seek to actively broker a deal for saner leadership, deciding that the Republicans would need to be the ones to take the initiative. And the party has remained steadfastly united behind him.
Democrats knew what Republicans were going to do if they allowed it. And they also have the benefit of knowing what happened the last time the Tea Caucus pulled this shit – the public blamed the Republicans (as they should have). But our bond rating was nevertheless damaged by the mere threat of default.
With such a narrow House margin, the Democrats astutely realize that Republicans are only hurting their chances of maintaining their majority beyond this term. Thus they have handed them the rope to hang themselves with. And with them, our country's good name and financial solvency may also end up twisting in the wind.
That last being the real problem. If not for that, I'd be all in on letting the bastards self-destruct and hang themselves on this. Just don't think the price of a govt. default worth it in either the short or long run, since the consequences could well outrun any of those concerns by a country mile. We've been plenty of places we haven't been before already of late. Don't think we need to add to the list at this moment in that way.
Would have been happier if the Ds had squelched the flames on this one before they could start this time around, and let the sob's self-destruct in other ways (along with any help the Ds might provide), since they seem to be showing some promise in that department.
If those a-holes manage to run us over the financial cliff this time around, we'll all likely end up hanging together, but not for any noble reason or cause.
I suspect the Dems know they have enough GOP votes to pass the debt ceiling raise. They've probably been twisting certain arms with the help of GOP Senators. McTurtle knows letting the anarchists in the house kill off the GOP is not in the best interest of GOP Senators or his hope to retake the Senate majority.
Also, in this case I think what the Democrats know is that Republicans simply aren't going to be able to sustain their ridiculous position for very long. It will be the political equivalent of threatening to hold your breath until you die. Something will give. Unfortunately, our bond rating may already have a downgrade baked in as a result of this idiotic political brinkmanship.
No matter how this turns out, I expect there to be some amount of completely unnecessary damage as a result.
If I understand correctly, the problem is not having the numbers to support it. The problem is that the crazies managed to negotiate a controlling share of the rules committee, which can ultimately control which items are allowed to proceed to the floor.
This has always been one of the biggest problems with Congress. We'd almost certainly have had a comprehensive immigration package years ago when one passed the Senate, if not for John Boehner preventing it from getting a vote in the House (where it would likely have passed). Why deprive your party of a politically salient issue to gripe over by actually solving a problem? It pisses me off to no end the way something can have ample support in Congress and yet a small number of jerks in leadership positions can keep it buried.
The only saving grace here, if you want to think of it as such, is the instability of this whole deal given that any member of Congress, Democrat or Republican, can force a referendum on McCarthy at any moment. How that would actually shake out though, and whether it would be for better or worse, is anyone's guess.
I'd rather you be right than wrong, of course. I just don't have any confidence in anyone in Congress with an R after their name at this point. There may be some acting in good faith, or at least something resembling it. But not nearly enough. And the complete lack of that as a party, whether by action or inaction vis a vie the welfare of the country writ large, makes it pretty hard for me to see this as anything other than the unnecessary threat and danger that it is.