Whoa, not so fast. Before we declare "Victory over GOP Day", did you look at the details?

[Pryderi]

McConnell floats a back-up plan, a 'last-choice' option





By Libby Leist

Ahead of another round of high-stakes deficit talks at the White House, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced this afternoon a Republican "back up" plan for raising the debt ceiling if the White House talks fail - a plan he described as a "last choice" option.

The plan is complicated, but essentially the president would have the authority to raise the debt ceiling in three increments until the 2012 election without having to agree to spending cuts upfront. He would only have to submit proposals for spending cuts with each request to raise the debt ceiling.

McConnell said the plan is not his first choice, but Republicans wanted to send a signal to the markets that there is a way out.

"We think it’s extremely important that the country reassure the markets that default is not an option," McConnell said in announcing his plan.

McConnell admitted that this legislation does not guarantee the spending cuts the Republicans have been fighting for, but there may be no other way to avoid default.

"We have become increasingly pessimistic that we will be able to reach an agreement with the only person in America who can sign something into law, and that's the president of the United States,” McConnell told reporters.

More details on the plan per two GOP aides:

Congress would write a law that requires the president to submit to Congress a request to raise the debt ceiling three separate times before the 2012 election, totaling $2.4 trillion dollars to cover the government's obligations.

Part one: The initial legislation would authorize the president to submit a request to Congress asking to increase the debt limit by $700 billion and would require submission of a plan to reduce spending by a commensurate amount.

Once Congress receives that request, the debt limit would be provisionally increased by $100 billion to avoid an Aug. 2nd default.

The $700 billion request would also would trigger a so-called "resolution of disapproval" in Congress. Congress would then vote on that resolution. The assumption is that House Republicans would vote in favor of the resolution to voice their protest over the debt ceiling increase and Senate Republicans are betting they could get enough Democrats to vote for the resolution. If both chambers pass the resolution to disapprove of the debt-ceiling increase, McConnell said he assumes the president would veto it, and that veto would be sustained in Congress, because only one-third plus one would be needed. Hence the debt ceiling is increased.

Parts two and three: This same process would be repeated in the Fall of 2011 and the Summer of 2012 -- both times at a $900 billion increase.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/12/7070288-mcconnell-floats-a-back-up-plan-a-last-choice-option

This keeps the debt ceiling in play all through next years' election, as well as requiring cuts in spending with NO increased revenue. How is this a win?

[gkhouston]

1. I was surprised that this angle wasn't covered on Rachel.

At least, I didn't see/hear it, but I was doing the dishes, so I might have missed it.

[Pryderi]

3. Yeah. Rachel's usually more thorough. Seems really fishy with O'Donnell and her on the same

page. I don't like it.

[gkhouston]

16. It does seem odd, especially for her show, which would have had

a little more time before going to air. I suspect she'll pick it up tomorrow. Then again, there will probably be another five developments by this time tomorrow.

[gateley]

28. I'm thinking maybe they didn't have time to really `

look at it. It IS a victory in that the Republicans were pushed to do that because, apparently, Obama wasn't budging (yay!). Although, when I was watching McConnell announce it I was thinking "I don't trust this". Let's see how they approach it tomorrow.

[RaleighNCDUer]

32. And Brer Rabbit was tossed into that briar patch, too. nt

[gateley]

34. I don't get the reference, but I know a put-down when I

see one.

I always give people the benefit of the doubt, a shameful trait, I know.

[RaleighNCDUer]

41. I'm just saying that this 'forces' the Republicans to keep this on the front burner

right up till the election.

The republicans don't want to crash the economy - their wall street bosses wouldn't like it - but they LOVE the idea of using it as a club for the next 18 months.

This is no victory for the Dems.

[gkhouston]

36. I don't know. Given the level of detail, this was obviously a prepared

position. It looks like a retreat, but it might be an attempt to sucker us into an ambush. And since the Republicans only choose to participate in reality on alternate Tuesdays, they might well come back tomorrow and pretend as if nothing happened today. :crazy:

[gateley]

38. No kidding - "We didn't say that!" It can't be much of an

ambush if even I, who is just dumb as a rock about this stuff, watched McConnell and KNEW it was a losing "offer" for Obama. It may have put Obama over a barrel, though. Damned if he does accept it, damned if he doesn't. For the umpteenth time, I'm so glad I don't have his job!

[gkhouston]

39. Nah--all he has to do is chuckle, say, "Nice try," and point out

the sixteen ways that this sweet little deal stinks on ice. McConnell and Boehner both have all the charm of the town's sixth-best undertaker and always look awful on camera while Obama is always at ease. I don't think it will much of an obstacle.

[gateley]

40. I like that approach! Hope that's what he does! I wonder

if he'll address it tomorrow -- haven't heard anything out of the WH in response thus far.

[Parker CA]

5. I was thinking the same thing. Her staff is usually extremely thorough. This is a big stinking trap.

[Raine]

6. Mustn't let REALITY intrude on the celebration

that would be a real downer. :eyes:

[Lisa D]

10. Preemptive gloom-and-doom posts

are a constant at DU. It only seems fair to have a few preemptive celebration posts. :party:

[Raine]

18. You have a point

enjoy! :hi:

[SharonAnn]

25. 3 more times before the 2012 elections? And they do a ""resolution of disapproval" each time?

Sounds fishy to me.

[RaleighNCDUer]

33. And each time, the rhetoric will be more expanxive, more incendiary

and by the third one it will be "Obama KEEPS RAISING THE LIMIT - he has NO DISCIPLINE - he CANNOT CONTROL SPENDING!!!!!

[Bluenorthwest]

2. It is a bizzare proposal which reverses the process and powers

I think it is awful, and they are vile to propose such a thing.

[Pryderi]

4. Good point. Congress now gets veto power? Will it require 2/3 vote to overrule the prez??

[Joe the Revelator]

7. They get veto power over a power that the already have, but are giving up

It's zero sum

[gkhouston]

19. It's a non-starter of a proposal, IMO. It's merely a ploy for them

to make it look like the Dems are now the ones "responsible" for the deal not going through.

[Zen Democrat]

8. Guys, the Republicans threw in the towel for a Kabuki dance.

They look exactly like the dumbasses they are. It's the bond markets, their BASE, that is jonesing for the debt ceiling to be lifted ASAP. They painted themselves into the proverbial corner and are saying, President Obama will throw us a life raft and we'll say we don't want to get on it, but we will.

What spineless weasels they are. This is good enough for them. They couldn't bluff this one out because their money providers were sweating too hard. Obama just asked the bastards to eat a few measley peas -- and they couldn't because they were stuck between Grover Norquist and their Wall Street banker buddies. Well handled, sir!

[Hydra]

9. O.o

Ok, I have a scary thought that was brought up elsewhere, but since this has the hard info, let's run it.

This law passes. down the road we get a GOPer in the WH. He wants to raise the debt limit $2 trillion, and submits cuts to everything we'd like to keep.

Do we then need 2/3 majority to stop it?

[gkhouston]

20. My guess would be yes. Even if this "solution" is "temporary"...

well, you know what "temporary" means in DC.

[lunasun]

27. you mean like those temp tax cuts????? This could stick like them tax cuts and also reverse power

........seems like reverse veto power anyway these days in a way huh?

[gkhouston]

35. It's something squirrelly, that's for damned sure. I wouldn't

trust McConnell to give me the proper time of day.

[Pryderi]

11. Will elimination of tax breaks count as spending cuts? n/t

[Cereal Kyller]

12. A dose of Reality

Courtesy of Salon's Andrew Leonard:

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

[Pryderi]

14. [phone] 000000000 00000000 0000000 00000 000! n/t

[neverforget]

31. Disaster Capitalism meets Disaster Politics by the Republicans

[kelly1mm]

13. I was one who jumped on the President yesterday and I was too quick to do so.

I will wait till I get more info on this new proposal but it does look like the Repubs are running scared. As always, the devil is in the details. We will see.

[Bobbie Jo]

15. But wait! I thought it was all like... OK!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1474464&mesg_id=1474464

[Monk06]

17. This is just a transparent attempt to make the deficit a campaign issue in 2012

and hang the blame on Obama just in time for the election.

[gkhouston]

21. That's all it's ever been.

Millions are out of work, the economy's in the crapper, and they're playing chicken with the debt ceiling for electoral advantage. Smell the statesmanship.

[KittyWampus]

22. McConnell's "plan" was just the last bit of hot air from a balloon spluttering wildly

around the room before it finally hits the ground as an empty, shriveled up piece of hollow rubber.

[wizstars]

23. UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Article 1 makes the debt CONGRESS' responsibility.

If they shirk it, it's entirely on them. Obviously, McConnell can't read the document he supposedly took an oath to uphold. He needs to resign and get out of the way.

[ClarkUSA]

24. WTF said Pres. Obama is going to accept McConnell's bogus offer?

President Obama has made clear that he won't approve of any deal that doesn't include revenue aka. tax hikes.

It's why McConnell's made the offer that is significant and is making freepers want to burn him in effigy (read Redstate.com if you don't believe me).

I recommend you watch Rachel Maddow's show about her analysis of McConnell's offer (hint: a big white flag featured prominently in her telecast).

[Lil Missy]

26. Obama is not going to accept this deal, and he has the upper hand.

He's forcing the goopers to eat their peas.

[alfredo]

29. McConnell wants to weasel out of his responsibility. Coward!

[Long Shadow]

30. I have not seen an actual proposal, but as a matter of constitutional law,

this proposal raises a multitude of serious constitutional concerns. First, there is the separation of powers regarding Congress's control over the budget. McConnell & the rest of the boys and girls in Congress do not have the authority to transfer power that the Constitution bestowed to them.

Furthermore, if I understand correctly, this will give the President the equivalent of a line-item veto, which has already been found to be unconstitutional.

These types of gimmicks make my head spin. Democrats should have passed the freaking budget last year, but they too, were more concerned with political maneuvering, than doing what we pay them to do. The Congress is pathetically useless, they lack the aptitude, the moral fiber, or the dedication to do anything except fun for reelection.

The American People know it too. That's why their approval rating is in the single digits.

[rufus dog]

37. How is this a win?

Three top Repuke leaders have walked away from their jobs in the last two weeks.

Americans overwhelmingly support tax increases and the 'Puke leader of the Senate not only walked but he tried to take it off the table without having the guts to negotiate.

How is a major loss for an enemy not good for the other side? If I am in the NFC Playoffs and I am the 49ers and beat the Bears while the Cowboys beat the Eagles, yet the Cowboys injured an Eagle player and dance over him as he is injured, then walk off the field and refuse to shake the Eagle's players hands after the game, who do you think America will be rooting for in the 49er/Cowboy match up? There will be the typical Cowpuke fans saying it is not a big deal, and they will make excuses, loud and proud, But 80% of the Country will hope they crumble.