Let them eat cake

Let them eat cake

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/09/debt-ceiling-showdown-the-fight-of-obamas-life.html

"Obama can't tame the monster he created gradually; he has to kill it completely. Bargaining his way through this crisis would do Obama no good, even if he could get through it by offering up a meager or even symbolic concession. Anything that allows Republicans to believe they can trade a debt-ceiling threat for policy concessions simply creates a new hostage crisis the next time the debt ceiling comes up. This negotiation is Obama's only chance to halt the routinization of debt-ceiling extortion.
Obama's incentive structure is simple, then: Allowing Republicans to default on the debt now is better than trading something that allows them to threaten it later. His best option is to refuse to negotiate the debt ceiling and have the House raise it before October 17. His next best option is to refuse to negotiate the debt ceiling, allow default, and never have to go through it again. Bargaining merely postpones, and worsens, the next default crisis. No negotiated debt-ceiling price is small enough to be acceptable. There is therefore no circumstance under which bargaining for a debt-ceiling hike makes sense, even if the alternative is certain default."

Suppose the Republicans refuse to pass a continuing resolution and the federal government is shut down? Who loses the most? The federal staff is more than half democratic. The Federal employees unions are in the tank for democrats. Like the sequester, the shutdown will show just what extent the Federal government is needed.

The republican can't "tame the monster he created gradually; he has to kill it". Shut the government down and keep it shut down. Reagan said to starve the beast. Let's do it. When they get hungry, the house bills might just get attention in the senate.

By the way, with the government shut down, maybe we won't need a debt limit increase.

Obama needs to acknowledge the House's role in authorizing spending.




Dave Farnsworth