So how can the GOP get something it wants out of the sodden mess of our debt negotiations? Here’s my answer: pass a short-term debt-ceiling increase. It seems pretty clear to me that there’s no time or common ground for a grand bargain before August 2nd, so pass a short-term increase. Give him nine months. Call his bluff.
Because it is a bluff. Obama is not going to shut down the government rather than accept a short term deal. He’s also not going to default. Doing so would virtually ensure that even if he doesn’t have to raise the debt ceiling in 2012, come January 2013, he’ll be cleaning out the Oval Office to make room for the next resident.
Is this what I would have liked to get out of this confrontation? Certainly not; I’d have liked a broader deal that raised some new revenue and cut a lot of spending. But I think the time for that is past. What you can do is make the White House have a lot more conversations like this:
TAPPER: The worst-case scenario here is a default, right?
CARNEY: That is a bad scenario. I’m not sure — I mean —
TAPPER: Is it worse —
CARNEY: You know, there are things you could anticipate. But I — yes.
TAPPER: Is it worse than voting on the debt ceiling again next year?
CARNEY: The uncertainty created by regular votes on whether or not, for the first time — you know, and if you think it’s — there’s — there are political —
TAPPER: Weren’t there regular votes on raising the debt ceiling during the Bush years?
CARNEY: There are — well, but it had not — it had not become — look — yeah, boy, there were. It’s funny that you should mention it, because — (laughter) —
TAPPER: There were. Every year —
Added:
At least the speaker came out yesterday and stated the real problem, that this is about ideology. That both the left and the right speak different languages, and that the public does not know how bad it really is. Some of us do, the new tea party politicians do, and the libdems sure as heck know what they are doing and what their goal is. Your video proves a major point, that Obama knows exactly what he is doing. He will not tell the republicans what he whats, and or keeps changing his mind. He has what he wants, the plan that McConnell laid out, republican capitulation. The libdems are have gotten use to the fact that the republicans are the party of compromise. They know that if they wait, this time will be no different. We need more politicans who understand the often repeated phrase, “We are in a war for the hearts and minds of the people.” Its the weaken opponent who will compromise in most cases.