US POLITICS SPRING 2011: Let's just call off this country.

mcconnell should remember "transparently cunty" for when he writes his memoirs

Forcing Dems to vote on debt limit next year seems like nothing compared to the massive cuts that were on the table. I don't see how Repubs can agree to this without looking like complete failures.

that's his whole thing, man

xp

Obama would have to notify Congress of his intent tor raise the debt limit -- a high-sign to Congress that would be subject to an official censure known as a "resolution of disapproval," and which Obama could veto. If he vetoed the resolution, and if Congress sustained the veto, then Obama would also have to outline a series of hypothetical spending cuts he'd make, equal to the amount of new debt authority he gives himself.

this weird kinda pr shit only makes sense in a world where people pay a lot of attention to politics, but are also idiots

you may have noticed that there are a lot of those people

if i'd have just put "http://politico.com"; it would have been funnier

Late Update: I'm not at all certain this proposed cave from McConnell is going to survive the heat from the right. But if it does, obviously it has vast political and economic implications. What really strikes me though is this: whoever wins politically, wouldn't this amount to an epic and pretty much open admission of the rankest cynicism on the part of Republican leaders? We'll let you do pretty much anything as long as we're got the politics wired to help us. That's pretty much the message. I know, I know. Haven't I been been watching? But, still ...

— Josh Marshall

http://www.beyondmytwocents.com/wp-content/uploads/Mitch-Mcconnell.jpg
"just make me look cool"

It's sort of like "Ok, we AGREE to lose this game of chicken that we never should have started, but we're going to say it was your fault"

it's hard out here for a blobfish

I don't get this solution at all - it doesn't give the GOP anything they want, and it seems really weird from a legislative angle

Hurting OTM

I don't get this solution at all - it doesn't give the GOP anything they want, and it seems really weird from a legislative angle

― a man is only a guy (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, July 12, 2011 7:22 PM (17 seconds ago) Bookmark

maybe they don't actually want spending cuts, just wanted to act like they wanted them? After all a lot of the base "wants" spending cuts because they think things like their Medicare benefits aren't "spending."

well yeah but the optics on this are still bad because they made a high profile argument for something they ended up not getting (even if they didn't really want it in the first place). it's just... stupid.

apologies for my use of the word optics ugh

I guess they just have to be happy with Obama caving on 95% of everything else.

But it seems like the Dems were putting huge concessions on the table, how could the Repubs be passing that up?

in a funny way, neither side was interested in the other side's concessions

ie O is cool with Bush tax cuts, GOP doesn't actually want to slash SS

how the other side thinks:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/271695/mcconnells-contingency-plan-rich-lowry

It’s beginning to get out on the Hill. It’s complicated, but here is the gist as I understand it: Congress authorizes in legislation the president to submit a request for an increase in the debt limit in three tranches over the next year or so, with corresponding proposals for spending cuts; when the president submits his request, Congress immediately considers a resolution of disapproval; if the resolution passes, the president can veto it and–assuming his veto is subsequently upheld–he gets the increase in the debt limit. Got it? More later…

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/271706/more-contingency-plan-rich-lowry

[Approved commenter] John Galt

07/12/11 15:11

Hell. to. the. No.

I am calling McConnell's office right now. Unless he wants a 3rd party in American politics, he sould re-think this "contingency plan".

lol

whatever the outcome of this proposal, the damage has already been done wr2 Obama. that he was willing to slash SS and Medicare to meet a GOP-created crisis will not be forgotten soon.

eisbaer i think you're getting into "feature not bug" territory frankly

that he was willing to slash SS and Medicare to meet a GOP-created crisis will not be forgotten soon.

public has already forgotten about it. they can't even keep track of legislation that actually passed, much less crap that was just proposed.

hi guys! I went to lunch and suddenly "Kabuki" seems relevant again!

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/170987-mcconnell-fall-back-plan-that-leaves-debt-ceiling-hike-to-obama

The legislation would also require Obama to suggest spending cuts to accompany those increases in the debt limit, but would not require such cuts. The legislation would prohibit Obama from recommending tax increases along with the requests to increase the debt limit.

So are Dems gonna sign off on this?

If this is true, then the GOP has acknowledged openly for the first time that it's not serious about running the country.

re kabuki http://www.slate.com/id/2250081/

He's right. Into the ash heap it goes.

If this is true, then the GOP has acknowledged openly for the first time that it's not serious about running the country.

I know, right? It cedes all authority to the president. GOP just reserves the right to complain.

But what about this:

The legislation would prohibit Obama from recommending tax increases along with the requests to increase the debt limit.

oh no the president can't "request" something. he can "suggest" cuts though. *whew* CRISIS AVERTED

that he was willing to slash SS and Medicare to meet a GOP-created crisis will not be forgotten soon.

i guess i have trouble reconciling these two poles that we've traveled from "obama proposes liberal apocalypse" to "mcconnell proposes GOP nightmare" while still demonizing obama

They will shoot an already lame economy and throw the Republic into chaos just so they can 'starve the beast'. Lovely ppl; not patriots tho

maybe the reporting was faulty on exactly what obama was proposing? idk

is there any reputable source reporting on this story? it sounds insane

on of those corner links is apparently text from mcconnell's office

But look at this summary on a Washington Post blog--Mcconnell is still trying to force Obama to do what the Republicans want re spending cuts, or at least to force Dems to vote on the Boehner plan and Obama to decide whether to sign off on it

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/mcconnell-unveils-debt-limit-plan-b/2011/07/12/gIQAjqh3AI_blog.html

Along with each debt-limit increase, Obama would be required to submit a proposal for spending cuts greater than or equal to the figure by which the ceiling was raised – a move that would be in line with House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) position in the debt-limit talks

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/170987-mcconnell-fall-back-plan-that-leaves-debt-ceiling-hike-to-obama

The legislation would also require Obama to suggest spending cuts to accompany those increases in the debt limit, but would not require such cuts. The legislation would prohibit Obama from recommending tax increases along with the requests to increase the debt limit.

So are Dems gonna sign off on this?

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, July 12, 2011 3:54 PM (18 minutes ago)

"obama" = "the president", surely?

Maybe House Dems (in my dreams) will say that they do not want to play this game that involves only spending cuts and will vote against it, as will Tea party Republicans who may not like it. Thus it won't reach Obama.

But they still separately will have to consider the expiring Bush tax cuts and Republicans will run gazillions of tv ads accusing Dems of the largest tax increases in history

anyway what are the chances of this actually passing? republicans control the house iirc

no cuts are required, unless I'm misreading something...? Obama can just raise the limit, congress gets to complain.

i think shakey's reading is right -- obama can't "recommend" tax increases, which doesn't mean that tax increases can't happen

Weird. A Democratic Senate could propose tax increases but they won't pass in the house. Cuts have to be suggested by the President but the various appropriation committees don't have to include them. The Washington Post says that moderate Dems in the Senate will not like the plan's requirement that they vote 6 times from now through election time on raising the debt

Telling the president what he can or cannot suggest is extremely stupid

Yes

^^^^ that's what the GOP will run ads about.

xxpost

it seems incredibly bizarre + also stupid for the republicans to bet that ppl are going to give a flying fuck about the debt ceiling come a year from now