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Keith Humphreys’ thoughtful post called to mind some thoughts I wanted to jot down after re-reading Drew Westen’s NYT piece on Obama and Jonathan Chait’s blistering response to Westen in the New Republic. Westen is surely a primary target of Keith’s scorn, and I agree with both Chait and Keith that Westen grossly exaggerates what [...]
Archive for the ‘Debt ceiling’ Category
August 27th, 2011
Category: 2011 Democratic Agenda, Conservatism, Debt ceiling, Economics, Elections 2010 and 2012, Republican Party, Rhetoric and Framing, Stimulus, Taxation
August 6th, 2011
but, boy, do they tread a fine line. First up is the no-tax pledge Grover Norquist has frightened scores of cowardly Republicans (and the odd Democrat) into signing. I can make a case, if not an airtight one, that taking the oath of office as a rep or senator without forswearing a vow of this [...]
August 3rd, 2011
Mitch McConnell likens himself to a hostage-taker.
August 3rd, 2011
Category: Campaign 2012, Debt ceiling
Romney endorsed default. How’s that going to play in November?
August 2nd, 2011
Senator McConnell gloats over the new template - debt ceiling hostage crises forever, every time there’s a GOP majority in the House or 40 senators for a filibuster, until every Republican dream is fulfilled. (via Ezra Klein): This is just the first step. This, we anticipate, will take us into 2013. Whoever the new president [...]
August 2nd, 2011
A couple of friends asked me whether the debt ceiling deal signalled a new Age of Extortion, in which we go through this mess every time we have to raise the debt ceiling. Not to worry, I said. In 2013, given President Obama’s steadfast refusal to do anything about jobs and economic growth, there will [...]
July 29th, 2011
Category: Debt ceiling, Politics and Leadership
During the February budget standoff, I quoted a Capitol Hill veteran noting that House Republican freshman had scuttled a pork barrel project in their leader’s district, which would have been unthinkable in prior eras. At the time I predicted that because Boehner clearly couldn’t control his own troops, we would have no fiscal year budget [...]
July 28th, 2011
Category: Debt ceiling, Watching Conservatives
Weepin’ John Boehner can’t get his own members to vote for his debt-ceiling plan.
Amateur hour.
