More vintage GOP petulance:
House Republican leaders on Friday announced a plan to condition a three-month increase in the debt limit on the Senate committing to pass a budget by the April 15 statutory deadline.
This protracted legislative temper tantrum will never need the correction of a presidential veto, of course, since Senate adults will properly ignore the House children. Nonetheless an instant, emphatic No from the White House would have been pleasantly reassuring. (NBC News reported, in effect, a WH "no comment.")
At least we now know what two or three days of huddled contemplation and ritzy quiet time can do for House Republicans. Nothing. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, it seems, that can mitigate their targeted hostilities and indiscriminate wreckage.
Just for grins, though--just for the incalculable amusement of watching them go really ballistic--I wish some WH operative would leak the historical word to these historic ignoramuses of President Lincoln's having suspended the writ of habeas corpus when faced with similarly perilous, insurrectionary acts against domestic tranquility.
Holy Mary Mother of God if you think the gun nuts are unglued now ...
Suspending a few of the wackos might be even more efficacious than suspending the writ of habeas corpus.
Posted by: shsavage | January 18, 2013 at 01:07 PM
Mokusatsu is how the Japanese government responded to the Potsdam declaration. And to treat with silent contempt is pretty much how the Whitehouse should have responded. The President has the nukes and not Boehner.
Posted by: Peter G | January 18, 2013 at 01:11 PM
Agreed, Peter G. This is clear evidence that they have no idea what to do, so they've run back to Grover for a last, desperate plan. Do they really think this would even make it through the Senate, except as a stripped down, clean debt-ceiling increase with an extended time period? It's just a mass-delusion.
Posted by: shsavage | January 18, 2013 at 01:23 PM
If this is procedurally doable, I would imagine the GOP House will pass a short-term debt ceiling increase, kick it over to the Senate, who will scratch out the word "months", replace it with "years" or "decades", send it back to the House, and Boehner will put another nail in the coffin of the Hastert rule by letting Dems and a handful of GOPers pass it. That way most of the caucus has cover; they "responsibly" voted to avoid default temporarily, and then were able to vote against a tyrannical spending-crazed long-term debt ceiling extension.
Seems like that would save them a little bit of crazy-base-face.
Posted by: Turgidson | January 18, 2013 at 01:35 PM
I really just want Reid to give Boehner a succinct two word answer.
Posted by: W Caulfield | January 18, 2013 at 03:00 PM
But Caulfield, how could Reed suggest that Boehner enjoy intercourse with himself in less than three words?
Posted by: Peter G | January 18, 2013 at 03:27 PM