In an interview with Politico, Mitch McConnell
laid out his clearest thinking yet of how he would lead the Senate if Republicans gain control of the chamber. The emerging strategy: Attach riders to spending bills that would limit Obama policies on everything from the environment to health care, consider using an arcane budget tactic to circumvent Democratic filibusters and force the president to "move to the center" if he wants to get any new legislation through Congress.
Putting aside McConnell's laughable admonition that this quintessentially centrist president should "move to the center," the would-be Senate majority leader, when "asked about the potential that his approach could spark another shutdown ... said it would be up to the president to decide whether to veto spending bills that would keep the government open."
Politico's interview piece is coyly titled "McConnell’s plan to shut down Obama," but we get the rather unsubtle joke. A two-chamber Republican majority--the odds of which handicappers are still putting above 50-50--will guarantee brinkmanship and shutdowns and a political squalor not seen since the sectional crisis.
Meanwhile Democrats are wondering, with their usual lack of midterm lucidity, why they should be troubled with getting out to vote.
Me? I'll settle for a total Republican war in the aftermath of Democrats' 2014 surrender--because this Washington, D.C. is one village that must be destroyed before it can really be saved, in 2016.