Sunday, July 24, 2011

Roundup of debt limit news via Memeorandum

  1. Can you say “debt bomb” five times fast? by  William A. Jacobson of Legal Insurrection
  2. 'Super Congress': Debt Ceiling Negotiators Aim To Create New Legislative Body by Ryan Grim Huffington Post
  3. Congress ditches Obama on debt talks by Manu Raju of Politico 
  4. Responsibility for debt talks shifts to Congress, away from Obama  By Sam Youngman and Molly K. Hooper of The Hill
It looks to me like Obama missed the boat.  He got a little heat from his Democratic caucus and he decided to move the goalposts, as Boehner put it.  Also, he may have sensed a weakness in the Republican caucus and thought he could divide it for political effect.  It doesn't make him look like a statesman, but just an ordinary politician.  Politically, he could afford to take some heat from his caucus.  It is a bit late in the game for a primary challenge from disaffected Democrats.  He could have taken that small risk and make himself look statesmanlike for going for some cuts that weren't popular amongst his supporters.  And he could have had the grand bargain which he claimed that he wanted so that we may have had a start towards restoring some fiscal sanity in Washington.  He missed the boat, but it remains to be seen whether he will get reelected.

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