Dems should stage a partial walkout during the vote to raise the debt ceiling next year.

[Imperialism Inc.]

OK. So, I'm in a pissy mood and I'm reading another article about how raising the debt ceiling will be one of the first things the new Congress has to deal with. This one is in the Atlantic and starts off:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/11/what-happens-if-the-gop-refuses-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling/66154/
RNC Chair Michael Steele and key GOP electeds have planted their feet and refused to support a higher debt ceiling. What happens if Congress does not vote to raise the roof and allow the Treasury to legally borrow more money? To get a better idea, I chatted with former Reagan adviser and Fiscal Times columnist Bruce Bartlett.

Bartlett seems to think the Boehner will just make the Dems vote for it and get 20 or so Republicans to "walk the plank" (that seems likely to me too).

I've talked to Wall Street types. They say, 'Well they've always raised the debt limit and they always will.' But they don't know how crazy the Tea Party people could be. I don't think John Boehner is crazy. He'll do what he has to do. He needs a couple dozen Republicans to walk the plank to vote with Democrats on this. But I honestly don't know that he has enough.

So I'm thinking if even 20 is too much for him to round up, maybe 30 or so Democrats should come down with a Congressional version of the blue flu that day. Make Boehner come up with 50 or 60 votes and show the American people right from the start what a bunch crazy shit bags they just elected.

[SarahB]

1. Nope.

Failing to raise the debt ceiling will bring about worldwide economic collapse the next day and I have every confidence that the Republicans would pin this on the Democrats who walked out.

Sorry, this is too serious to play games with.

[Dawson Leery]

2. Let Rand Paul block it.

[Imperialism Inc.]

3. Yeah I know it is serious business.

Pinning it on the Dems would be absurd though. They have been touting their new majority. 160+ Dems voting for and Republicans not being able to round up 50 votes can not be sold as a Democratic failure. They don't even need any Democrats to do it. It would be like arguing that it is the Dems responsibility to take the fall for them. Well forget "like" it would exactly be arguing that.

[RickFromMN]

4. The little devil in me says, don't walk out, just vote no

Have Boehner make all the Republicans vote for raising the debt limit.

It's their House.

It doesn't do any good letting the Tea Party Representatives blame everyone else for raising the debt limit.
They will have their cake and eat it too. They will blame everyone else. They didn't do it.

Make them do it. Make them walk the plank.

I know. People will suffer if they vote no.

Who will suffer? The seniors who voted the Republicans in? The investors who wanted the Republicans in?

A few months with the debt limit not raised might be what this country needs to get a public outcry.

Eventually, sanity will prevail, and the Republicans will raise the debt limit, one way or the other.
It mustn't be with our help. They made the plank. It's their plank. Why walk the plank with them?

If we walk the plank, at the end of the plank, they will push us off, and laugh as they scurry back to safety.

Forgive the little devil in me. I've gone from crying over the disaster to laughing insanely over the disaster.

[Imperialism Inc.]

5. Yes, they will have their cake and eat it too.

They are in charge of the House. Let's see them govern. Would they really make the US go in to technical default just to satisfy the know nothings that voted for them? I still think a silent , unannounced no show would be better. Then the Dems are still the adults. If they say well 30 Dems didn't show up just say "Why do you need 30 Dems you just had a historic takeover of the house right?" Anyway, I know it is just a pipe dream but I think it would be pretty effective.

[bluestateguy]

6. If you think the 2008-09 financial crisis was unpleasant

that would look like a cocktail party compared to the US defaulting.

You DO NOT want that, and the debt ceiling is not something that you mess around with.

[Imperialism Inc.]

8. You're right I don't want it. But does the new and improved GOP?

[postulater]

9. I'm a financial simpleton.

Could you explain in a paragraph what would happen if the debt ceiling was not raised?

And what would be the next day effect?

[Imperialism Inc.]

10. One of the questions asked at the link in the OP gave an answer to that.

Basically it would the same as a person who has no access to credit. You can only pay for what you actually have cash on hand for. Imagine if , every month you are paying a couple of your bills with a credit card and then the credit card gets cancelled.

It would be pretty major and people holding treasury bonds would get very spooked. US treasuries have been considered one of the safest investments in the world. My suggestion isn't really practical, and I knew that. I was mostly letting off steam. So the Dems will have to be the responsible adults and do the right thing. The public will have no idea of the situation and will just see it as Dems support debt and Reps don't. It sucks sometimes actually giving a crap about the country (and the world).

[postulater]

11. Thanks.

[Fuzz]

7. Boehner will cry and beg them to pass it like he did for TARP