McConnell Blinks

[October]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has proposed a sort of escape hatch for Congressional Republicans, who have threatened not to raise the national debt limit -- and trigger a default -- if Democrats don't agree to trillions of dollars in cuts to popular social programs.

The plan is designed to give President Obama the power to raise the debt limit through the end of his first term on his own, but to force Democrats to take a series of votes on the debt limit vote in the months leading up to the election.

The development confirms suspicions that the GOP was unwilling to truly use the looming debt ceiling as leverage to force conservative-friendly changes to popular entitlement programs, but suggests strongly that Republicans plan to continue politicking on the issue of debt and deficits through the 2012 elections.

In what McConnell described as a "last-choice option," McConnell proposed a method by which the country could avoid default if debt negotiations led by President Obama fail to produce a grand bargain on debt reduction.

Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/the-big-blink-mcconnell-proposes-giving-obama-authority-to-raise-debt-limit-alone.php?ref=fpa

[tridim]

1. Such weak sauce. They've lost the debate, and they know it.

The teabaggers are now in charge of the GOP.

[louis-t]

9. They've also lost their humanity.

[reformist2]

14. That's because they represent money more than they do people.

[ShockediSay]

57. They represent Big Corporate Greed Money Tax Dodging Billionaires

The Top Two Percent

[alp227]

46. I've been thinking somewhere along the line an executive order might be needed

to prevent a default/shutdown. In this case the Republicans, who used to stand for cutting spending, will be seen as traitors and will get thrown out next election.

[Kingofalldems]

2. Kick and Rec one time for the teabaggers

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. I do NOT believe this.

I have no question that he said what he said, that he did what he did, and that he pretended to cave, but anyone who trusts this chinless, smirking, douchebag is fooling themselves.

He is playing some other game, one which can drive our country into depression. He will not cave in, and he will do everything possible to protect his upper class, banker, derivative trader, and insurance friends.

[neoralme]

53. It is a trick.

[BlueIdaho]

4. So they can blame Obama for raising the debt ceiling?

Why on earth would the President ever want to do that? Time to show the world just what a bunch of cowards these weakling republicans really are.

[TomCADem]

56. But, The Blame The Democrats, Give Republicans A Free Pass Narrative Is Strong

I think McConnell thinks that even if caves, the corporate media will portray it as a grand victory for Republicans.

[Zenlitened]

5. K&R. Encouraging. - n/t

[Critters2]

6. The President said he wouldn't accept any temporary solutions or games.

I'm not sure he'll accept this "compromise". He'll want a straight up or down, one time vote.

[October]

7. Should be interesting.

But this certainly surprised me.

I agree, McConnell isn't one to trust -- I find this very odd.

[Erose999]

8. Can turtles blink? I mean they're reptiles right? Do they even have eyelids?

[Liberalynn]

11. hehe

:rofl:

[Cognitive_Resonance]

10. McConnell crazy scheme smacks of utter desperation. Keep the heat on them till they crack. nt

[BigD_95]

12. he is doing this so they can blame

Obama on raising the debt celling. Then when he ask to raise it again the Republicans can all vote no Obama can veto it and only need 1/3 of Dems to allow it. That way all Republicans can wash their hands on it and use it against Dems.

I hope Obama says no to this. Dont let them get out of this. Make them raise it with one vote and be held accountable. Dont let them slim their way out of this. They want to be in charge make them make hard votes. This gives them a out.

[seafan]

13. It's to prolong the corrosive fight over debt and spending and smearing Democrats with it.

And just before next year's election, to exert maximum effect..

.....

The plan is designed to give President Obama the power to raise the debt limit on his own through the end of his first term, but to force Democrats to take a series of votes on the debt limit in the months leading up to the election. This would stave off the threat of defaulting on national obligations, but keep the charged issues of debt and spending at the center of political debate for months.

McConnell is merely executing more of the game plan.



Snakes don't blink.

[neoralme]

52. It's a trick to get Obama to make more SS and Medicare cuts

because he will go over what he promises and there will be no alternative.

[russspeakeasy]

15. A blink ? Shit, I was hoping it was a stroke..

[dtotire]

16. McConnell Proposal Gives Obama Power to Increase Debt Limit

Source: NY Times

July 12, 2011, 4:13 pm
McConnell Proposal Gives Obama Power to Increase Debt Limit

By JACKIE CALMES


The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said Tuesday that a bipartisan budget deal with President Obama is probably out of reach, and he proposed a plan under which the president could increase the federal debt limit without prior Congressional approval for offsetting spending cuts.

Mr. McConnell’s proposal reflected a growing sense of pessimism on Capitol Hill about the prospects that Mr. Obama and Congressional leaders could come to terms on a budget deal before the government’s borrowing authority hits its limit on Aug. 2. The negotiators sat down for another round of talks at the White House on Tuesday afternoon.


http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/mcconnell-proposal-gives-obama-power-to-increase-debt-limit/?hp


Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/mcconnell-proposal-gives-obama-power-to-increase-debt-limit/?hp

[gateley]

17. Obama won't fall for it. nt

[karynnj]

23. I understand from other posts - sorry

[gateley]

47. Sorry for what?

Don't be silly! The way this is written it sounds like a good thing! I happened to see a clip of McConnell saying/explaining it, plus with the feedback of DUers to confirm my gut feeling (since I don't really understand all the budget stuff) I was able to see it's a slimy move on McConnell's part. You were just hoping for the best. :) :pals:

[karynnj]

18. This is great news

Now is not the time to be cutting programs - unless they genuinely are not worth it. This is a way out of the nightmare scenario if enough of the House will vote for it. (Obviously McConnell believes that Obama then pays a political price for raising the debt ceiling - but I would bet that defaulting or slashing entitlements both would hurt more.

[KittyWampus]

22. No, this is a bogus offer. It ties raising the ceiling with spending cuts ONLY.

It isn't going to happen. It's an absurd proposal.

[karynnj]

26. Apparently there are huge differences of opinion on the actual plan - but it seems better than you i

Here are 2 articles that Prosense found. Both are more optimistic. The second on (Brenen) explains that he needs to define cuts ONLY if Congress has 67 votes saying he has to. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x708767

[bergie321]

40. Nope

It raises the debt ceiling in exchange for a PROPOSAL of spending cuts. The President could propose $2.4 trillion in cuts to defense. Or he could veto his own proposal. This is a major blink by the spineless Republicans.

[emulatorloo]

27. It smells bad and seems like a trap. There is some way the Republicans will screw us over with this

And by "us" I mean the American people who aren't billionaires.

[plumbob]

19. Well, it's starting to dawn on Mitch that if you're in a barn, and it's set

on fire, you will die, even if it's your "friends" that lit it up.

Starting to get a little real world glimpse now, of much higher interest rates on everything, from Treasury bonds to credit cards to home loans to car loans to any other kind of credit. When banks reap the windfall profits from those higher interest rates, and the amount owed on the debt goes up an extra trillion a year due to interest rate changes only, people will be unhappy.

[Volaris]

28. Yep. Mitch is figuring out that inviting stoopid lynch-mobbers with torches...

onto your property MIGHT not end the way you initially intended. If I were the Pres., I would let that barn burn for a little bit longer, just to see how truly desperate Mitch gets to get out of there with his ass intact.

Don't give in now, Mr. President, they are just about RIGHT where your base wants them...begging for their political lives. Get with the Democratic legislature NOW, put a plan together, and sit on it 'till the Dow starts to drop through the floor. The GOP HAVE GOT TO LEARN that the tactic of hostage-taking (while not pretty in ANY circumstances) is NOT about IOKIYAR.

Not to mention the fact that Mitch is already ready to hand this kind of power to a Chief Executive that he (and his idiot 'Bagger base) ALREADY think has WAAAAAAAAAYY too much power, just to save his own political ass. Make him twist, Mr. President. Make that racist fucker BEG you to be his political savior, (it won't take too much more, methinks) and then the Tea People can call HIM "traitor", too.....

[TexDevilDog]

20. Blame Obama

The republicans want to give the ability to raise the limit They can sit back and say, we didn't raise the debt ceiling.

[rurallib]

21. I wouldn't trust anything that fucker put together

until a team of top lawyers went through it with a fine toothed comb.
"Trust but verify." Ronald Reagan said that McConnell.

[hyphenate]

24. So......what's the catch?

McConnell is a blowhard who wants Obama out of office. Why should HE, of all people, propose such a deal?

[Kber]

30. maybe he just realized that he got outplayed and if the economy crashes

the republicans may not sit behind the bid desk in the oval office again in his lifetime.

[kiranon]

36. And his donors will lose a lot of money if the economy crashes. So

nice to see the Republicans caught in their own trap.

[creeksneakers2]

41. The GOP never had the votes to pass their own proposal

They are minus 80 to 120 members in the house who won't vote for a debt increase under any circumstances. Add to that any members who will flee from a vote to cut popular entitlements.

I've been saying for days the way out for Obama is that he demand that the house pass its own plan to move the legislative process along before its too late. Then, when the GOP doesn't have to votes, publicly ask how the GOP can cause an economic disaster over and idea even they don't support. I think that would cave the GOP in, and they'd have to provide enough extra votes for Democrats to vote up a clean raise on the ceiling.

Even if the GOP passed its own plan, the legislative process would be moved along. There would still be Obama and the Senate to intervene. And the Republicans would all be on the hook with their own people for raising the debt ceiling and on the hook with everybody else for cutting entitlements.

I think the GOP realizes this possibility and that's why they are caving.

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/07/11/debt-ceiling-sabermetrics

[some guy]

58. Republicans would

get to be able to avoid blame for raising the debt ceiling; plus they could use that as a campaign issue for 2012.

They would also get to criticize the President for any cuts he proposed, even if they voted against them. More campaign fuel.

Plus, the proposal doesn't allow for revenue increases - so they get to claim they held the line against that.

Basically, they get to avoid doing their fucking jobs, and avoid responsibility for that as well.

[CakeGrrl]

25. From the guy whose biggest goal is to make POTUS a one-termer?

The fine print. Must read.

:rofl:

[thecrow]

29. Senator Kyl's look is so smug

as he stands there twiddling his thumbs...

[lunatica]

31. Anyone who believes McConnell is an idiot

[ChairmanAgnostic]

33. well, I believe he's an idiot, with much of his policy

crap he promotes, but I also think that believing him is crazy.

[humbled_opinion]

32. Why would a Repub give Democrats this type of idea....

In my best Admiral Ackbar imitation....... "It's a Trap!"

[JBoy]

34. Forget "blink", this is "duck and cover"

[Blasphemer]

35. The bottom line is that they refuse to raise taxes on the wealthy

They will do anything to avoid that. Anything.

[SkyDaddy7]

37. Obama has them on the ropes!

The public will see who is being fucking ridiculous after Obama offered them huge spending cuts that Democrats did not like & they can't raise taxes on the wealthiest & Oil Companies? Go Obama!

[bergie321]

38. Super Blink

See what happens when you stand up to the Republicans' threats Mr. President?

[florida08]

39. well hell

You can't raise taxes when the economy is rolling and you can't raise them when it's not. What the hell?

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/07/12/mcconnell-announces-fallback-plan-lets-give-obama-the-power-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling-himself/

Now that the table is set, here’s how the proposed plan would work: Republicans in Congress would agree to vote to authorize the president to propose three separate incremental debt ceiling increases, spaced over the remainder of his term. He would be required to couple each request with a corresponding set of spending cuts that exceed the dollar amount of his sought-after debt limit hike. These cuts would be of his choosing alone. The first pair of requests would come prior to the August 2 deadline. It would be for roughly $700 Billion. The next requests, for $900 Billion, would come in the fall, and the final tranche (also for $900 Billion) would be scheduled for summer of 2012 — in the thick of the campaign cycle.

In all likelihood, on each occasion, Republicans would overwhelmingly vote to disapprove of the president’s debt ceiling increase request. This allows GOP members (and almost certainly some vulnerable Democrats) to technically vote “no” on raising the debt ceiling. If, as is likely, simple majorities in both houses vote to disapprove of the president’s requests, he’d be forced to veto each disapproval, pinging the issue back to Capitol Hill. If Congress can’t override those vetos with 2/3 majorities (and Republicans won’t have the votes, even with some Democrats), the debt ceiling will increase. But not without the exacting a substantial political price from the president and his allies in Congress. They will own the debt ceiling hike. Period. Members of Congress who vote with the president will set themselves up to be targeted by brutal attack ads (“so-and-so has voted to increase the national debt limit three times in the last year alone,” etc).

[creeksneakers2]

42. Plus the GOP would get the cuts

[florida08]

44. yes without raising taxes on the poor wealthiest of us

[still_one]

43. mcconnel may have blinked, but Obama by proposing Medicare be increased from 65 to 67, is bullshit.

What kind of garbage is that?

Medicare was created because Insurance companies would NOT insure most people 65+

Oh, wait. He must be thinking his wonderful HCR would cover them. Only problem with that is the current HCR is no bargin, and when you are on a fixed income it is even worse.

To tone it down they indicate it would only affect those after 2033. That is my kid you are talking about!!!

[florida08]

45. +100

[julian09]

49. Would you prefer RYAN plan?

[Snarkoleptic]

48. McConnell Blinks

[underpants]

50. "It's his debt" - that is the newest no vineer RW talking point

tuning in for a few minutes a day to Rush, the local idiot (Richmond), or Hannity if I work late I heard it 3 times in the last 2 days.

They have danced around this for a while but now they are feeding it into their listeners brains. It is all Obama's fault. There was no debt when he took office.

[Cereal Kyller]

51. RC from Andrew Leonard

http://www.salon.com/news/budget_showdown/index.html?story=/tech/htww/2011/07/12/the_fiendish_brilliance_of_mitch_mcconnell

[Lifelong Protester]

54. I didn't think his species blinked...

(sorry, he looks like a turtle to me)

[TomCADem]

55. What is hilarious is that he got backstabbed like Boehner!

Where is the leadership? Instead, there is always some other Republican who will throw their fellow party members under the bus. How pathetic.