Could the debt ceiling issue be Obama's liberal trump card?

[Onlooker]

Just imagine the sweating brows on Wall Street as the U.S. teeters on default. Just imagine the chaos in the ranks of the corporate and Republican shills right now. If the debt limit isn't raised, it will be a disaster especially for the people the Republican Party is sworn to protect. But, Obama wants tax hikes. Obama won't give in. What are the Republicans to do? If Obama is doing what I'm hoping he's doing, he's redeemed in my eyes at least.

[Big Blue Marble]

1. It could also be a disaster for regular folks

like you and me. No one knows exactly how bad things could get; but then we do not want to find out.
Nobody wins in that scenario and Obama knows that. That is why he is working so hard to make sure
it does not happen.

[Palmer Eldritch]

5. nope. Obama's got the 14th amendment in his back pocket.

[alc]

9. if 14th is interpreted the way that's been talked about

It means Obama MUST pay off the debt and cut as many domestic programs as he needs to do it. Running out of money doesn't mean everything gets cut. It means the president must decide which bills he will/won't pay. He could cut everything equal or default on the debt and fund everything else (if possible with what's left) except that interpretation of the 14th says the debt is off limits so cut everything else first.

[Avalux]

2. The Republicans are giving Obama what he wants on a silver platter.

They went into these negotiotions wanting 4 trillion in entitlement cuts. They are going to hand Obama the authority to raise the debt ceiling, and get NOTHING in return.

[killbotfactory]

3. Defaulting hurts the rich as well as poor, that's why republicans will cave

In previous negotiation showdowns, the repubs were empowered to be obstinate because refusing to co-operate would only hurt the non-rich.

Or, in the spirit of Johnny Cochran: "If repubs don't cave, they dig their own grave."

[safeinOhio]

4. What was said this morning that

changed GOP by 180 degrees.


www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/12/obama-jeff-immelt-tax-loopholes_n_89

WASHINGTON -- Jeffrey Immelt, the chairman of President Barack Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, joined Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue on Monday to urge lawmakers to quickly cut a deal to raise the debt limit.


In other news, dog won't bite hand that feeds it.

:pals:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. Yep! Perhaps Larry O' needs a Pulitzer for his ability to explain Obama's strategy!

Even my brother who is not interested in politics at all, understands what's going on!

[Kahuna]

8. Larry O knows the process. That's why when it comes to this stuff..

I will tune into his show.

[creeksneakers2]

7. It could be a trump card if he plays it right

Just playing chicken is too risky.

The GOP is desperate for a way out because they've been bluffing since the beginning. They've never had the votes to pass what they are advocating.

According to Fox and others ( I know Fox is unreliable but I think they have inside access here) there are 80 to 120 members of the house GOP who won't vote for a debt ceiling increase under any circumstances. I figure out of those who are left there must be some who will run away from voting for entitlement cuts.

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

The GOP was in a jam with their own people to begin with and their only way out was to get Obama to sign on to a plan to provide cover for their members voting against entitlements. Their strategy all along was to get Obama to cave by bluffing.

What to do about this? Obama has to call the bluff and expose the GOP. He needs to insist that the house Republicans pass their own plan to move the legislative process along.

If Boehner can't pass his own plan, he'd have to explain why he's going to put the whole country into a disaster for a plan even his own party doesn't support. He'd have to explain why he's been bluffing all this time and causing all this trouble.

Even if the GOP can pass its plan, there would still be the Senate and Obama's veto to intervene. And the GOP members would be stuck going into the next election with their base furious because they passed a debt increase at all, and the rest of the public furious because they voted to cut entitlements.

No matter what they do, its a lose/lose for the GOP if Obama forces them to vote. Obama could leave one way out for them, to supply half the votes needed to pass a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling.

Holding talks, or entertaining the latest GOP dodge attempt just encourages the GOP to think they can still get away with this.