In perhaps one of the most brazen demonstrations of incompetence and lack of concern for one’s nation from a government leader we have ever seen, John Boehner has devoted the last few days to pass a bill which had zero chance of becoming law, as opposed to seriously working to prevent a crisis next week. Boehner got his bill passed and, as expected, the Senate voted it down. The Senate has also been searching for a deal which could pass:
Senate Democratic and Republican leaders are having intense discussions to come up with a bipartisan solution for raising the debt ceiling.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters that he needs ideas from Republicans sometime Friday if Congress is to meet the Aug. 2 deadline.
A Senate GOP leadership aide said the two sides have until early Sunday morning to reach an agreement.
The two sides are discussing trigger mechanisms that could be used to build bipartisan support. Such triggers would force Congress to carry out another round of deficit reduction before the 2012 election.
At the moment, it is difficult to see them reaching an agreement, but perhaps Republicans will be more willing to compromise when we get down to the last minute. The failure of Boehner’s bill might at least serve the purpose of allowing them to argue that they had no choice but to accept a compromise Senate bill to prevent economic catastrophe. On the one hand, one would think that country club Republicans aren’t anxious to see their investments wiped out. On the other hand, the Tea Party members who have been pressuring Boehner don’t show any signs of ever facing reality.
You hit the nail on the head, especially with regards to the Tea Party. It’s a shame that compromise isn’t in the Republican dictionary.
Obama can invoke the 14th amendment, move the problem off the table and into the coursts – who won’t hear it – and move on to the next crisis.
I’ve read a lot to question this. For example, even if the underlying argument for invoking the 14th Amendment is valid, this would be for Congress, not the President, to handle. Or is the key part of your argument the idea that, even if technically not Constitutional, the courts won’t hear it? You might be right on that, but I also fear that a Supreme Court which once handed the presidency to George W. Bush might be willing to hear a case to harm Obama.
In addition, this would give the Republicans possible cover to impeach Obama, having a real Constitutional issue. However, as there is zero chance for conviction in the Senate, it is also possible that this would backfire against the Republicans as impeaching Clinton did.