Shortly after Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell unveiled his “contingency” plan for a debt limit increase, the Associated Press bulletin read: “GOP Leader McConnell proposes giving Obama new power for automatic debt limit increase.”
It’s surely not the headline McConnell wanted, but unlike much of the media coverage of the debt fight, it’s accurate. And that’s a problem.
It is not, however, the main problem with the McConnell plan. Far worse, in my view, is that the plan isolates House Republicans, it undercuts their (tentative) plan to offer an aggressive debt limit proposal of their own, it turns their principled intransigence from a possible strength to a certain liability, and it virtually ensures that, in the event of default, Republicans – not the White House – will be blamed.
McConnell’s plan gives the president the ability to raise the debt ceiling through 2012, in three separate increments, by requiring Obama to propose spending cuts greater than each request. Its main virtue is that these hikes would have to pass largely with Democratic support – something that McConnell and others believe will redound to Republicans’ benefit heading into the 2012 election cycle. And, the theory goes, if President Obama offers phony spending cuts, as he almost certain to do, his posturing as the “adult in the room” on entitlements and spending will be exposed as unserious.
But there’s the catch, too: the spending cuts do not have to be real or even implemented in order for the president to get his debt ceiling increases. McConnell acknowledged this at the press conference to announce the plan Tuesday afternoon. ABC’s Jonathan Karl asked: “Does it guarantee you’ll get your spending cuts or not?” McConnell responded: “No, it doesn’t.”
Read More at the Weekly Standard by Stephen F. Hayes, the Weekly Standard
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore Creative Commons
Please share this post with your friends and comment below. If you haven’t already, take a moment to sign up for our free newsletter above and friend us on Twitter and Facebook to get real time updates.
Follow @WestJournalism
Loading ...
The Republicans would be wise to just do what’s right for the country.
Pravda will blame the Republicans for everything from economic ills to the onset of parvo in puppies.
If the Republicans decide to attempt to appease Pravda, the base will splinter and the Tea Party will become a real 3rd party, (2nd party after the demise of the GOP).
McConnell is nothing more than one of The Republican Elite who needs to go. His plan does not guarantee spending cuts in addition to being just bad for our nation.
.
Call McConnell and explain that just reading about his insane plan to give the Marxist POS even more power, has taken the heart and hope for the GOP out of American Conservatives.
Tell him to be sure to track Contributions to the Republican organizations from the day after his insanity was reported. And that 75% of those contributions will not return.
This is the only thing this lying RINO can understand. Money.
Nitch is one of the frist reps. to get soft. I don't know why, but like LG he is bending over toward the dems.
Why is it that McConnell and other Congressmen never seem to think about the long-term effects of their policies. EVERY TIME the Republicans give in to the Democrats and agree to increase spending in exchange for cuts in the budget , they lose. That is why we are in the mess we are in. They continue to raise the debt limit and the 'promised' spending cuts NEVER HAPPEN! And now they are going to get away with draconian cuts to the military budget because the Democrats won't budge and cut their precious entitlements. (And gutting the military budget is what they wanted all along!) The budget amounts being discussed to cut amount to ABSOLUTELY NOTHING when they are 'spread out' over the next TEN YEARS! How stupid do they think we are?
This McConnell will do anything to help the imposter to put this country deeper in the poop pile. Is he too old for common sense dealings or is he just plain stupid. You don' hand anymore blank checks to the crook in the WH, but this is not first time dummy McConnell has stepped in it to stab the American people in the back. In 2012., this old fool needs to be sent back to Kentucky.
McConnell is just one of the many incumbants, who needs to be booted out of congress. He is your typical powermad, money hungry, liars in congress, who tries to give lip service, pretending to do something good for the USA & it's citizens, but go along with other incumbants to screw us even more.