House GOP still hellbent on debt-ceiling showdown

The juxtaposition here is telling.

First, from Politico, an explanation of how House Republicans and their leaders are approaching the issue of a looming showdown over the debt ceiling:

“I think it is possible that we would shut down the government to make sure President Obama understands that we’re serious,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state told us. “We always talk about whether or not we’re going to kick the can down the road. I think the mood is that we’ve come to the end of the road.”

Republican leadership officials, in a series of private meetings and conversations this past week, warned that the White House, much less the broader public, doesn’t understand how hard it will be to talk restive conservatives off the fiscal ledge. To the vast majority of House Republicans, it is far riskier long term to pile up new debt than it is to test the market and economic reaction of default or closing down the government.

GOP officials said more than half of their members are prepared to allow default unless Obama agrees to dramatic cuts he has repeatedly said he opposes. Many more members, including some party leaders, are prepared to shut down the government to make their point. House Speaker John Boehner “may need a shutdown just to get it out of their system,” said a top GOP leadership adviser. “We might need to do that for member-management purposes — so they have an endgame and can show their constituents they’re fighting.”

That’s right: By the admission of top GOP officials, internal party “member-management purposes” may require them to force a shutdown of the U.S. government. Furthermore, House Republicans are out of the speaker’s control and even more intransigent than understood by the White House and the general public, which already believes them to be extremist.

Now contrast that with President Obama’s statements today at a White House press conference to close his first four-year term:

“America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they’ve already racked up. If congressional Republicans refuse to pay America’s bills on time, Social Security checks, and veterans benefits will be delayed.

We might not be able to pay our troops, or honor our contracts with small business owners. Food inspectors, air traffic controllers, specialists who track down loose nuclear materials wouldn’t get their paychecks. Investors around the world will ask if the United States of America is in fact a safe bet. Markets could go haywire, interest rates would spike for anybody who borrows money. Every homeowner with a mortgage, every student with a college loan, every small business owner who wants to grow and hire.

It would be a self-inflicted wound on the economy. It would slow down our growth, might tip us into recession. And ironically it would probably increase our deficit. So to even entertain the idea of this happening, of the United States of America not paying its bills, is irresponsible. It’s absurd….

Republicans in Congress have two choices here. They can act responsibly, and pay America’s bills, or they can act irresponsibly and put America through another economic crisis. But they will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the American economy. The financial well-being of the American people is not leverage to be used. The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip.”

In the weeks ahead, the American people will have to decide which of those two narratives they find more appealing, patriotic and rational. But the GOP has already made its choice. They continue to insist, publicly and apparently in private conversations among themselves, that it’s “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” toward a government shutdown. Having whipped themselves into a fervor, convinced of the holiness of their mission, they will not be dissuaded from carrying it out.

The rest of us are just along for the ride.

– Jay Bookman

1,012 comments Add your comment

Common Sense isn't very Common

January 14th, 2013
8:28 pm

Mick

Shouldn’t that be ship of TOOLS?

:-)

Christian Conservative

January 14th, 2013
8:31 pm

Paul

“Another thing you fail to note is that Oblama is still operating on budgets passed by the dem Congress’s of 09′ & 10′.

Just what is that supposed to mean? That the Executive signs appropriations bills passed by Congress?!!? Really?

It means Oblama and the dems are spending our children and grandchildren’s future away….

“Another failure is that the Republican led house has passed a budget each of the last two years and has failed in the dem led senate…..””

Again, are you saying that in the last two years Congress has passed no appropriations bills or authorized any spending?!!? Just what is this ‘budget’

Repubs have passed a budget! Fact… Google it… They have tried to curtail spending to no avail. Jay, I mean Paul you should use Google more… Its your friend….

Adam

January 14th, 2013
8:31 pm

We won’t default. Because Republicans are going to cave.

Watch.

Soothsayer

January 14th, 2013
8:36 pm

Jody: say it ain’t so!

Jm

January 14th, 2013
8:36 pm

Adam

They may cave

But a government shutdown is coming anyway

Jack ®

January 14th, 2013
8:37 pm

“…holiness of their mission…”. Reminds me of the holiness of James Cone.

Christian Conservative

January 14th, 2013
8:40 pm

Honestly repubs should let the gubmint default…. The media won’t give them a fair shake anyway…

Soothsayer

January 14th, 2013
8:41 pm

Jm

January 14th, 2013
8:42 pm

Reuters:

More soldiers died from suicide than combat deaths

Sad

It is a cloud with a silver lining though

At least combat deaths are way down

TBS

January 14th, 2013
8:42 pm

“The media won’t give them a fair shake anyway…”

And please tell us what excuse # is that on the talk radio talking point list?

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
8:45 pm

Broun, Gingrey, Graves, Kingston, Price, Westmoreland, Woodall
Check your interest rates, print out you stock report, if employed, check to see how your business is doing. Remember these names in March and… More importantly vote for their opponent in 2014 if they don’t vote to pay their own bills – our bills.

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
8:46 pm

“And please tell us what excuse # is that on the talk radio talking point list?”

Personally like the part about “let” the government default.

Rightwing troll

January 14th, 2013
8:47 pm

Interesting the keystone cops in congress would push the US into default… The ensuing economic meltdown and chaos would cause their main constituency, the 2%, to lose more money than the modest tax increase they fought tooth and nail against…

TBS

January 14th, 2013
8:49 pm

Doggone

It is certainly more of a whine and cry than any substance that that blogger could muster

Jm

January 14th, 2013
8:49 pm

Politico

Obama – likable enough

:)

Liberal Pariah

January 14th, 2013
8:50 pm

Who runs the Republican Party? Obama :-)
Give him what he wants and when the country crashes and burns due to his spending and social policies, it will be Conservatives forever.
Obama is a better politician than any Republican out there right now.

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
8:51 pm

Default would mean that we fail to pay interest on the debt. Not raising the debt ceiling doesn’t mean default or failure to pay interest on the national debt. We can still pay interest and avoid default as we have sufficient revenues to avoid default. It would mean that government won’t have more money to borrow hence reduced interest on accumulating debt and reduced deficit spending. Government would then be forced to reduce spending and that would be a good thing for the country.

Jm

January 14th, 2013
8:52 pm

Just to be clear

The current Congress is not voting on the bills they incurred

They are voting on bills incurred by previous congresses

And they don’t like it

Furthermore, the debt increase is not necessary to pay the bills – the interest expense – of prior governments

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
8:52 pm

Jm

January 14th, 2013
8:54 pm

Obama is the worst thing to happen to America since Nixon

A dad

January 14th, 2013
8:54 pm

Enter your comments heard the POTUS speak today. Said something to the effect that raising the debt ceiling does not mean an increase in spending. But it also doesn’t mean a decrease in spending. Regardless of all the figures and websites listed before, the simple fact is the U.S. spends more than it takes in, and in order to do so, we have to borrow. While that may sound similar to the average U.S. family mentality (just put it on the charge account), I have to ask all of you, cons and libs, how many of you run your households that way? Do you pay your electricity bill with Visa? The problem with borrowing is you have to pay it back. With interest. I think we can all agree there is a lot of fraud, waste and abuse in gov’t spending (just look at all the pork tacked on to the Sandy Relief bill as evidence of that statement). No, there are no simple answers, and I for one would be willing to pay a high tax rate (not one of the 2% yet) if it resulted in getting our spending under control. But sadly, too many people are not looking down the road to the burden we’re placing on our children, and all they see is what effects their lives today.

TBS

January 14th, 2013
8:56 pm

Bush Sr left the hospital today.

Hope he continues to recover

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
8:56 pm

Obama is the worst thing to happen to America since Nixon

And yet, Romney still couldn’t defeat him.

What does that say for Romney?

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
8:56 pm

Obama is the worst thing to happen to America since Nixon

Jm, unfortunately much worse than that.

TBS

January 14th, 2013
8:57 pm

Jm

you will certainly break the crying record

no doubt

Jm

January 14th, 2013
8:58 pm

New Corvette looks good

Good job Government Motors

TBS

January 14th, 2013
8:59 pm

Kam

Well they have excuses for that

Ole Jm once spoke of held back foreclosures…………. His “buddies” in the know told him so, yet he has produced NADA……. ZILCH……………. NOTHING………………… ZERO

Jm

January 14th, 2013
8:59 pm

Kam

It says Romney was a crummy politician

RB from Gwinnett

January 14th, 2013
9:00 pm

Geez….just another in a long line of Democrat BS designed to scare people who are either too stupid or too lazy to learn what’s really going on.

Looks like it worked on a whole bunch of people on this blog, though. Lazy or stupid?

Jm

January 14th, 2013
9:00 pm

Recon 8:56

Hard to say

They both really really suck

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
9:00 pm

Hope he continues to recover

TBS, Amen to that

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:00 pm

This is not about the media. It’s not two Tay intransigence. It’s about republican congressmen who are willing to make us all suffer so they can pound their chests. Their august body made promises they dont want to keep . This debt ceiling is simply about keeping promises to pay.
Talk about a disservice to the next generation- this is it. Broun-Gingrey-graves-Kingston-price-Westmoreland-Woodall — saxby and Johnny, too if they go down that road. When your retirement evaporates, remember the names.

Atlas Shrugging

January 14th, 2013
9:02 pm

TODAY’S YAHOO POLL

Who’s the bigger problem in the debt ceiling crisis?

President Obama

46%

The GOP

36%

It’s a tie.

18%

Thank you for voting.
..

170,297 votes

MUST NOT HAVE AS MANY UNDERACHIEVERS AS THE AJC ON YAHOO

Obama issues dire warning

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
9:03 pm

“the simple fact is the U.S. spends more than it takes in, and in order to do so, we have to borrow. While that may sound similar to the average U.S. family mentality (just put it on the charge account), I have to ask all of you, cons and libs, how many of you run your households that way? ”

I’d venture to say…just about all of us. If not now, then at some point. Do you have a mortgage? Then you owe more than you take in and had to BORROW to buy your house. Do you have a car loan? Then you owe more than you take in and had to BORROW to buy your car. Do you have any credit cards with an unpaid balance? Then you owe more than you take in and had to BORROW to buy what you wanted.

But I can bet my last dollar that NO ONE with a mortgage, a car note and credit cards didn’t go to their boss and ask for a DECREASE in pay…and then turn around and say to their creditors: Hey, sorry…can’t pay you, I’m not making enough money.

Or is THAT how YOU run your household budget?

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
9:03 pm

They both really really suck

Jm, one’s gone and can no longer do damage, the other is very much alive and sits as this nations president. I rest my case.

F. Sinkwich

January 14th, 2013
9:05 pm

“We won’t default. Because Republicans are going to cave.”

Sad, but true.

Anyone proposing any cuts in any social program at any time in any amount including cuts in the rate of projected increases will be vilified by Dems and their amen choir of ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, NYT, WaPo, etc., and accused of horrific crimes against humanity including genocide, fratricide, infanticide, grandmacide, grandpacide, and other cides yet to be determined.

Book it, Danno.

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
9:07 pm

It says Romney was a crummy politician

Du-uh!

What does it say about the people who selected him?

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:07 pm

Good thing he’s there

Jm

January 14th, 2013
9:07 pm

Recon

No doubt Obama is today’s problem

Jm

January 14th, 2013
9:08 pm

Kam

It says they weren’t voting for the best politician

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:10 pm

“republicans are gonna cave…”.

If they spent their time accepting the debts they created and working on solutions we’d be a lot farther down recovery road. It’s their knuckleheadedness that keeps the markets in turmoil.
Really we all just want sanity.

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
9:13 pm

“But I can bet my last dollar that NO ONE with a mortgage, a car note and credit cards didn’t go to their boss and ask for a DECREASE in pay…and then turn around and say to their creditors: Hey, sorry…can’t pay you, I’m not making enough money.”

Why socialists don’t understand economics. One saving grace in this ones analogy is a recognition that there is a boss. Problem is that the boss is not being asked for a raise but instead is being ordered to provide one.

F. Sinkwich

January 14th, 2013
9:13 pm

“Really we all just want sanity.”

Sure. Just raise taxes.

Duh.

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
9:14 pm

It says they weren’t voting for the best politician

And this says that you have the political acumen of a vicuña.

I SEE RED PEOPLE

January 14th, 2013
9:14 pm

Normally, the way you put your policies in place would be to win elections and claim a mandate. Instead, the minority party loses elections and uses procedural gimmickry to undermine the will of the people.

You may think you’re on some sort of patriotic, constitutional mission to save America from itself, but in truth, you’re bitter losers creating panic moments for shock appeal. You created this mess, you got booted, and you’ve whined and pointed fingers from Day One. You’re relevance diminishes with each passing day, the Doomsdays you’ve predicted for time immemorial regarding liberal schemes have NEVER come to pass, your own trickle down economic cartoon has failed to launch, and frankly, you’re stepping in the way of progress and rehabilitation.

Shut us down, and you will be marginalized to inconsequence.

Vast Right Wing Conspiracy (aka "Knuckle-Dragger")

January 14th, 2013
9:14 pm

The Democrats run up the tab, and then want Republicans to pay for it. What a surprise. Best thing that could happen would be to shut down the federal government. Tell them all to take twenty years off.

I SEE RED PEOPLE

January 14th, 2013
9:15 pm

Your relevance. Not you’re relevance.

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:16 pm

. Playing socialist card – what a giveaway.

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
9:17 pm

“Problem is that the boss is not being asked for a raise but instead is being ordered to provide one”

Problem is the employe ALREADY asked for a lower wage (aka: the “Bush Tax Cuts”), and is NOW trying to renege on the credit card payments already run up.

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:19 pm

No. Don’t raise taxes. Pay our bills FIRSt. Then talk about spending less. Bills come first. Spending habits is a separate debate. Address it. Pay the bills, quit hating on the president and offer a plan to the people. You won’t because you don’t have one.

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
9:20 pm

“The Democrats run up the tab, and then want Republicans to pay for it”

Hate to break it to you…but that’s exactly backwards.

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
9:22 pm

“No. Don’t raise taxes. Pay our bills FIRSt.”

Except…if you aren’t make enough income to make the payments on those bills, you CAN’T pay them off first. You have to increase your income to be able to make headway on them

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:26 pm

Which one of you calls the mortgage holder, your grocer, the cable company, the power company, your employees and says ” I’m gonna cut my spending. When that extra money hits my accounts I’ll pay you”? Bet you put it on the card and then turned down the thermostat, dropped the premium channel and planned to use the savings to pay down the debt next month.

TBS

January 14th, 2013
9:29 pm

“The Democrats run up the tab, and then want Republicans to pay for it.”

Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr and Jr say what?

Oscar

January 14th, 2013
9:29 pm

The way to reduce expenses is for Congress to pass laws that reduce our obligations.
You cannot reduce expenses by just not paying bills, the bills are still there plus interst and other additional cost for not taking care of business.

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
9:30 pm

“Bet you put it on the card and then turned down the thermostat, dropped the premium channel and planned to use the savings to pay down the debt next month.”

Personally, I did what the government needs to do. I cut spending and worked tons of overtime to INCREASE my income. But there wasn’t enough room in my budget to get there SOLELY from spending cuts.

TaxPayer

January 14th, 2013
9:30 pm

Will Republicans shut down social security checks and payments to federal employees and to contractors in the US, Afghanistan, etc.? Go for it. Let’s see how that works out for the radical right.

Oscar

January 14th, 2013
9:31 pm

Vast – Does not matter how are who ran up the bills. They are lgal obligations that must bepaid.

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:32 pm

Kid in college. Probably had to up te debt ceiling.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

January 14th, 2013
9:32 pm

Ooooh the Ftroop Comedy Hour and Rant has started. :lol:

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
9:36 pm

The numbskulls don’t understand that we’re not truly paying down the national debt we’re only paying interest on it as we borrow more to spend more. Unsustainable but the numbskulls don’t understand that hard fact.

F. Sinkwich

January 14th, 2013
9:39 pm

“Unsustainable but the numbskulls don’t understand that hard fact.”

Just raise taxes, dude. Duh.

Where’s my bong? There it is, right next to my Cheetos!

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
9:40 pm

“The numbskulls don’t understand that we’re not truly paying down the national debt we’re only paying interest on it as we borrow more to spend more. Unsustainable but the numbskulls don’t understand that hard fact”

Oh, but we DO understand that. And we also understand that we’re stuck there until we start bringing in enough money to pay that interest AND pay some extra to get the debt down. It’s called a “surplus” and the last time we had that it was squandered on 2 stupid (and ONGOING) wars, and unneccessary tax cuts.

HamiltonAZ

January 14th, 2013
9:43 pm

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
9:44 pm

Just raise cut taxes, dude. Duh.

Tax cuts will cure whatever ails you — eczema, seborrhea, and the dreaded heartbreak of psoriasis.

Also a great floor wax/dessert topping.

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
9:45 pm

“Oh, but we DO understand that. And we also understand that we’re stuck there until we start bringing in enough money to pay that interest”

Glory be a big step in the right direction when a numbskull admits to being a numbskull. We need more, however, to step forward with their admission.

Elections Have Consequences

January 14th, 2013
9:45 pm

” the American people will have to decide which of those two narratives they find more appealing, patriotic and rational.”

Wasn’t it the President, who in 2008, described then-President Bush’s raising of same debt ceiling as “unpatriotic”?

Short memory due to the strain of leadership, one supposes..

Doggone/GA

January 14th, 2013
9:47 pm

“Glory be a big step in the right direction when a numbskull admits to being a numbskull. We need more, however, to step forward with their admission”

and I love you too

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
9:48 pm

Wasn’t it the President, who in 2008, described then-President Bush’s raising of same debt ceiling as “unpatriotic”?

Wasn’t this specifically dealt with downthread?

Consequence of not reading through the comments, one supposes..

Soothsayer

January 14th, 2013
9:52 pm

“Tax cuts will cure whatever ails you — eczema, seborrhea, and the dreaded heartbreak of psoriasis.”

Not to mention lumps, bumps, and ugly bulges!

Jm

January 14th, 2013
9:52 pm

Tax the rich

Fixes everything

Especially herpes, which is known to afflict democrats

TBS

January 14th, 2013
9:53 pm

“Especially herpes, which is known to afflict democrats”

That ODS is on his ass. He cant help it.

td

January 14th, 2013
9:53 pm

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
9:48 pm

Wasn’t it the President, who in 2008, described then-President Bush’s raising of same debt ceiling as “unpatriotic”?

Wasn’t this specifically dealt with downthread?

Dealt with? If you mean it was determined that Obama and other Dems are hypocrites then it was dealt with.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

January 14th, 2013
9:54 pm

TBS

January 14th, 2013
9:55 pm

td

Just the Democrats? Really?

Are we not counting the 18 debt ceiling increases under the 13th disciple, Ronnie Reagan?

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
10:01 pm

Are we not counting the 18 debt ceiling increases under the 13th disciple, Ronnie Reagan?

Never happened and SHUT UP!

Jm

January 14th, 2013
10:02 pm

Keep

You guys are seriously lame

Four year after bush

Get a new schtick

Obama sux

Jhunt163

January 14th, 2013
10:02 pm

Ok, I have been gone two hours and just got back on the board and it appears nobody answered exactly what the $1.2 trillion in spending cuts were.

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
10:04 pm

Ok, I have been gone two hours and just got back on the board and it appears nobody answered exactly what the $1.2 trillion in spending cuts were.

We’re just not that into you.

Jm

January 14th, 2013
10:04 pm

Sorry

If Obama was a better prez then maybe they would raise it 13 times for him

Unfortunately Obama is no Reagan

Obama sux

TBS

January 14th, 2013
10:04 pm

“Obama sux”

Is the BOY out of huggies yet?

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
10:05 pm

The fact is that many Democrats are not numbskulls but sadly those who aren’t choose to be numbskulls anyway. Its evidently a requirement for belonging.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

January 14th, 2013
10:05 pm

Poor JM only tolerates his lameness…all others must cease and desist.

Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)

January 14th, 2013
10:06 pm

Well, I just wish both sides would come out with their spending cuts. Just tell us what you want to cut so we can think about it and understand who would get the shaft. This business of talking about “spending is out of control” gets awful old. At least we know what would be cut and how much if this sequestration stuff stands. I still don’t know what the Boner and his bunch want to cut. Same thing for the Marxist Kenyan. We ain’t babys, so quit talking like you don’t want to talk about the Birds & Bees in front of kids. And stop talking about cutting something 30 years down the road. If we’re going to cut, it needs to be done now. And no mealy-mouthing. Come on, we’re all growed up. Just tell us.

Have a good night everybody.

Jm

January 14th, 2013
10:07 pm

Tbs

Weak comeback

Par for you

Jm

January 14th, 2013
10:08 pm

Keep

Try to catch up

It’s 2013

Soothsayer

January 14th, 2013
10:09 pm

When all else fails, you got to “catapult the propaganda.” Here’s a “blast from the past” you’re sure to love boys and girls.

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 14th, 2013
10:09 pm

Is the BOY out of huggies yet?

He’s laboring under the misapprehension that he is ready for pull-ups.

TBS

January 14th, 2013
10:10 pm

If Hall and Oates didn’t have Jm in mind when they wrote “b&tch girl”…………………. it is a huge coincidence

Soothsayer

January 14th, 2013
10:10 pm

TBS

January 14th, 2013
10:11 pm

Kam

It is that longing for Singapore anxiety that keeps him from making the next step

Oscar

January 14th, 2013
10:12 pm

convert – Best I can tell, cons wantto cut out medicare,medicaid, health care and education and trim social security. Dems want to cut back on defense,social security and medicare.
Dems want to raise some taxe and cons want to cut taxes.

Jm

January 14th, 2013
10:12 pm

Kam

When do expect to be released from the NICU?

Soothsayer

January 14th, 2013
10:13 pm

I’d like to bend Law-ruh over while she’s smoking a cigarette and talking dirty to me!

Jm

January 14th, 2013
10:14 pm

As always

Libs lose

Attack the truth teller

Groundhog Day

curious

January 14th, 2013
10:14 pm

Redneck,

You’re the smartest poster on this blog.

Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)

January 14th, 2013
10:15 pm

Best I can tell, cons wantto cut out medicare,medicaid, health care and education and trim social security. Dems want to cut back on defense,social security and medicare.

Well, the guvmint better keep its hands off of my medicare.

Recon 0311 2533

January 14th, 2013
10:15 pm

Arguing with numbskullery isn’t a good use of time as the far left tools live in a world of make believe and that’s just the way it is. Taps y’all

Jm

January 14th, 2013
10:16 pm

Recon

True dat

Zzzz

TBS

January 14th, 2013
10:17 pm

“Attack the truth teller”

Then surely you know you haven’t been attacked on this blog