Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Saturday, January 7, 2023

Monday

 McCarthy won his speakership, but the House adjourned until Monday to pass the new rules package. This could be significant, if enough "moderate" Republicans balk at these changes. The House now "exists" as all members have been sworn in, staff can be paid and offices moved into. The leverage over a deadline has passed.

There is no reason for any other faction of Republicans to abide by McCarthy's deal. The bad blood created by Gaetz and Boebert isn't likely to dissipate over the weekend.

Moderates - if any still exist - could defeat the Rebels' rules package, then preserve McCarthy's speakership with a deal with Democrats over the debt ceiling. For whatever reason, Democrats have not taken a debt default seriously, and no one outside their caucus seems to understand why.

This is an opportunity to head off future debt crises and Democrats should look to do that.

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