Boehner and McConnell plan their escape.
Yesterday, Orrin Hatch made some predictably asinine statement about taxing Gilligan's Island or something. I was too bored to click through the link.
Today, Sherwood Schwartz, the man who created Gilligan's Island, died. Coincidence? I think not.
Now we have Mitch "The Human Banana Slug" McConnell coming up with a ridiculous plan to raise the debt ceiling without restrictions.
Basically, it creates a series of three debt increases that can be voted on by Democrats alone. It goes something like this: They vote for a series of three debt increases that come up for votes at various times over the next year and a half. But these increases in the debt ceiling are effectively pre-approved and can only be defeated by a two-thirds majority AGAINST. So the GOP can - their thinking must go - label the Democrats as Big Spenders every time they vote to keep the government solvent.
First, it's stunningly cynical. In fact, it's so transparently cynical, I bet even the DC press corps can see it.
Second, it's capitulation. It's capitulation to the Teatards (though they won't be fooled). And it's capitulation of their responsibility to govern responsibly. The GOP is effectively ceding the debt ceiling argument to the executive branch. They are effectively walking away from their duties to be a partner in governing the country. And don't think for a moment all those glibertarians and Teatards will consider this a victory for "small government" conservatism.
On a policy level, this would be pretty good. Debt ceiling gets raised, no dramatic cuts in spending. Politically, I think this makes the GOP look like chumps, and it would certainly vindicate O'Donnell's Rope-A-Dope thinking.
It still has to happen, but for the moment, I think the GOP just blinked.
UPDATE: This is a good take: http://www.balloon-juice.com/2011/07/12/all-over-the-map/
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