Howard Fineman: Debt Ceiling Gives GOP's Great Dismantler (McConnell) His Moment

[highplainsdem]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/02/obama-and-mcconnell-debt-_n_916257.html

With the debt ceiling negotiations, he basically took the president to the cleaners. He used the energy of the Tea Party as a threat, and the weakness and division in the House GOP leadership to make himself the indispensable player in the final days. He proposed a fail-safe route to avoid default that played to the president's vanity (the idea of giving the president the power to decide debt-ceiling raises on his own) and then used the sense of trust to drive a hard bargain that took takes off the table. McConnnell also used his 26-year relationship with Vice President Joe Biden to smooth the pathway to a deal. As Rep. Charlie Rangel said, the GOP "mugged the president but let him keep his wedding ring."

The president thinks that the "super committee" that now will be appointed will be able to -- and will -- recommend revenue increases and even tax cuts when it has to report Nov. 23. There may indeed be some loophole closings, but don't count on it.

Was the president listening today when McConnell discussed the "super committee" group of 12, which will include six Republicans and six Democrats? McConnell called it the "cost-cutting committee."

Game on.

[judgegblue]

1. How can a stalemate be avoided on this committe?

McConnell has made it clear that his appointees will not consider raising revenue. Bonehead will also see that the teabaggers are appeased. Our only hope is that the Dem leaders appoint members who won't cave in. At best we have a stalemate.

[tularetom]

2. The first time the tea baggers are dissatisfied with the super congress recommendations

It will be ignored and they will pressure Boner to adopt new legislation to disband it.

This is a cluster fuck in the making. Commissions and committees in Washington are just a way to avoid a decision.

But you can trust Fineman to put a pro republican spin on it.