GOP debt limit extortion is dead

[DonViejo]

BY GREG SARGENT
February 11 at 12:38 pm

So House Republican leaders are bowing to the inevitable and are going to allow a vote on a clean debt limit hike. In a statement moments ago, Nancy Pelosi said she’d provide Democratic votes to help it pass, which seems very likely.

The crucial point about this outcome, should it happen, is that it will be the direct result of the decision by Dems — in the last two debt limit fights — to refuse to negotiate with Republicans. That was a major course correction on Obama’s part in which he learned in office from failure. After getting badly burned in the 2011 debt limit showdown — which left us saddled with the austerity that continues to hold back the recovery — Obama recognized what many of his supporters were pleading with him for years to recognize: There was no way to enter into a conventional negotiation with House Republicans.

Now that this realization has driven Dem strategy through two debt limit fights, it may not be too soon to pronounce GOP debt limit extortion dead.

“The era of economic hostage taking and ransom demands should finally be behind us,” Senator Patty Murray told me today. “House GOP leaders have finally bowed to the reality that they need to put uncertainty and drama behind them and put the economy ahead of their party’s political tactics.” Also, as Jonathan Bernstein notes, this reflects a GOP recognition that the Tea Party must be marginalized, not placated.

more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/02/11/gop-debt-limit-extortion-is-dead/

[Mass]

1. With all due respect to Greg Sargent, I hope he is right, but I wonder

what the next congress will bring us. If the House is more tilted toward the Tea Party, who knows what may happen?

[DonViejo]

2. Brian Beutler at Salon predicts more debt limit fights....

"The past year has revealed two irreducible facts about the GOP and its weaponization of the debt limit. First, that Republican leaders have no intention of allowing the U.S. government to default on its obligations to creditors; and second, that Republicans’ oft-repeated claims that clean debt limit increases can’t pass the House have always been false — bluster meant to intimidate Democrats into conceding something, anything, for a debt limit increase and keeping the cycle of brinkmanship alive," Beutler argues. But still, the debt limit can only be increased for the year. "It's... easy to see this as a hiatus — a temporary accession to political reality paired with a hope that in March of next year the balance of power will have shifted enough to knock Obama back into negotiations. If that’s the case, the spring of 2015 will be a fraught with danger. Particularly if Republicans flip the Senate," Beutler cautions.

Beutler's complete article:

GOP’s demented 2015 threat: Why it could still hold the economy hostage

http://www.salon.com/2014/02/12/gops_demented_threat_for_2015_how_it_can_still_hold_the_economy_hostage/

[global1]

3. Is It Really Dead - Or Is It Only Because This Is An Election Year And The Repugs Can't Take A .....

chance of any additional negative publicity. They don't want to be held to blame for shutting down the government again - because we all know it really worked well for them the last time.

Keep an eye on the Repugs from now to November. I'm predicting that we'll see them come out with other things that they will think that will make them look good in November.

Remember though - they are snakes and they are only doing this for themselves. It's a political decision - not one that they think will benefit the country. They are only thinking of themselves.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Didn't they just "suspend" the debt ceiling?

What does that mean, anyway?