McConnell blinks? Teabagger heads explode, demand "Pontius Pilate" be burned in effigy!

[jefferson_dem]

:popcorn:

The Big Blink? McConnell Proposes Giving Obama Authority To Raise Debt Limit Alone

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has proposed a sort of escape hatch for Congressional Republicans, who have threatened not to raise the national debt limit -- and trigger a default -- if Democrats don't agree to trillions of dollars in cuts to popular social programs.

The plan is designed to give President Obama the power to raise the debt limit through the end of his first term on his own, but to force Democrats to take a series of votes on the debt limit vote in the months leading up to the election.

The development confirms suspicions that the GOP was unwilling to truly use the looming debt ceiling as leverage to force conservative-friendly changes to popular entitlement programs, but suggests strongly that Republicans plan to continue politicking on the issue of debt and deficits through the 2012 elections.

In what McConnell described as a "last-choice option," McConnell proposed a method by which the country could avoid default if debt negotiations led by President Obama fail to produce a grand bargain on debt reduction.

<SNIP>

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/the-big-blink-mcconnell-proposes-giving-obama-authority-to-raise-debt-limit-alone.php

It Is Time To Burn Mitch McConnell In Effigy. He Goes Pontius Pilate On the Debt Ceiling.

Mitch McConnell Just Proposed the "Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011"
Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)

Tuesday, July 12th at 2:35PM EDT

UPDATE at the top: Some of the most willfully ignorant and willfully naive McConnell supporters are coming out of the woodwork to say this is not *the* plan, but a contingency plan if *the* plan can’t be agreed to. So let’s get this straight: if Democrats won’t agree to make spending cuts, we’ll fall back to the contingency where they get to raise the debt ceiling without making spending cuts.

That’s not a contingency, that’s handing the Democrats a silver platter.

Consider the Associated Press’s headline right now: “GOP Leader McConnell proposes giving Obama new power for automatic debt limit increase”

Mitch McConnell is right now talking about making a historic capitulation. So fearful of being blamed for a default, McConnell is proposing a compromise that lets Barack Obama raise the debt ceiling without making any spending cuts at all.

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2011/07/12/it-is-time-to-burn-mitch-mcconnell-in-effigy-he-goes-pontius-pilate-on-the-debt-ceiling/

[dionysus]

1. good to see the freepers have the same circular firing squad we do...

:rofl:

[Kahuna]

23. Word.

:rofl:

ETA, a peep over in freepland reveals they're gathering the pitchforks as I type.





-http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2747503/posts-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: La Enchiladita


Looks like it’s time for a pitchfork march on Washington....
McConnell - Cantor... on the list they’ve got to go!

[stevenleser]

40. Amazing that they are mad at Cantor. He is the perfect Teabagger toadie n/t

[TheBigotBasher]

30. No if this was DU

the suggestion of burning a Cunservative Republican in effigy would result in a visit from the rea men in black

[yourout]

2. We're going to need a HUGE bag of popcorn for this movie.

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Pass some will ya

:popcorn:

[thereismore]

3. Hahaha, why not do it. Let's raise the ceiling without cuts to SS and Medicare. I'm all for it. nt

[eleny]

5. If he accepts the deal they can say Obama made it political to save his own ass

At first I thought McConnell started to cave. But then it occurred to me that McConnell is baiting a trap.

We'll see. But the Republicans are snakes.

[elleng]

8. They surely are snakes, BUT, imo, doesn't matter what PrezO does,

they'll say anything ANYWAY! They lie, every day, in every way.

[eleny]

15. Oh yeah

[vaberella]

27. And many citizens believe them...Dem or otherwise. But I agree.n/t

[Kind of Blue]

39. +infinity! n/t

[CakeGrrl]

21. They can say whatever they want, but this is all they SHOULD have done in the first place. -nt

[lumpy]

22. If Obama accepts he will not be trying to save his own ass; he

will be trying to save my old ass. At any rate,99% of US citizens don't know beans about how social security works and all will be forgotten in a few months. The GoPeers can sling all the shit they want; true Democrats duck and let it hit the walls.

[vaberella]

28. Society won't really see it that way. Understand that. What Repubs say is what is the meme.n/t

[eleny]

32. They'll say he's trying to save himself

So it's not what he's trying to do in reality.

Anyhow, what we've learned this afternoon shows that the Republicans are just playing another snake in the grass card that they've pulled out of their snake ass. With apologies to all reptiles, legless and/or chinless everywhere.

[immoderate]

6. I'm with Mitch!

--imm

[FSogol]

7. Meme of the Day (& Tomorrow): If Mitch is incapable of doing his job, he should just resign.

:shrug:

[ZombieHorde]

9. Recommended. nt

[democrat_patriot]

10. Except...McConnells deal is bad for Obama.

It requires Obama to make dollar for dollar cuts, for whatever he raises the debt ceiling too.

1st phase is I believe 700 Billion - no revenues, just cuts. It's the same Republican plan, except they don't have to take credit for cuts outside their base.

"Oh no - Obama cut the EPA etc...."

[bergie321]

35. Actually

It requires him to PROPOSE spending cuts. He can propose all $2.4 trillion be made in defense spending. He can also veto his own proposal if it passes.

[Cali_Democrat]

43. So what happens if Obama proposes cuts and doesn't follow through?

Obama takes a political hit and the Republicans skate away scott free. They get to accuse Obama of going back on his word and say he's not serious about deficit reduction.

Meanwhile the Republicans can say the never proposed cuts to things like Medicare, Medicaid and SS because under this agreement, it's only Obama who is required to propose cuts.

[eilen]

48. The truth is, nobody really wants cuts. nt

[woolldog]

11. What a ridiculous proposal by McConnel.

Obama is better off politically just defaulting than accepting that proposal.

[lumpy]

24. I would hope Obama is more concerned about the fate of this

country than his political future.

[Kahuna]

25. I agree. Would that all of the pols would be more concerned about

the fate of the country. :patriot:

[woolldog]

29. The proposal isn't constitutional anyway.

Obama should dismiss it as such.

They're baiting him, trying to set it up so that he takes full resp for the debt ceiling having to be raised. Then they'll try to make political hay out of it. They know most Americans are uninformed about the debt ceiling and how unpopular raisng it is and they want to be able to blame him completely for raising it. Extraordinarily cynical. These people are awful

[Kahuna]

31. Obama "owns" the raising of the DC anyway. What difference does

it make? :shrug:

[woolldog]

33. No he doesn't.

He stepped in it at the last minute when it appeared Congress wasn't going to do their job to prod them along. It is THEIR job, not his, to raise the debt ceiling to ensure the bills get paid. Spending bills start in the House. It's really a shocking abdication of power by the Congress, and I'm not sure it's constitutional.

[Kahuna]

34. Ok. Whatever. In this case, let's say that perception is reality. nt

[creeksneakers2]

38. I don't see how its constitutional either

The Supreme Court found legislative vetoes unconstitutional in Chadha v INS.

[DrToast]

12. Bullsh*t. They caused this mess, they get to vote for it, too.*

*

[d_b]

13. what...

they don't want to keep playing the tax cuts vs. entitlements game? :rofl:

[Windy]

14. HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! Keep it up Barack....

Where is my popcorn!!!

pretty soon tears are going to flow from McConnell and Boner!

Maybe we should be prepared to send boxes of tissue

[damntexdem]

16. Well, Wall Street confronts teabaggery -- and who wins?

LOL!

[Dulcinea]

45. Money talks...and teabags walk! eom

[Tennessee Gal]

17. Chicken!!!! Can't stand the heat?

Cut and run!

[jefferson_dem]

18. McConnell Plan: We Get Everything We Want On Debt Ceiling, Plus 12 Opportunities To Bash Obama

New McConnell Plan: We Get Everything We Want On Debt Ceiling, Plus 12 Opportunities To Bash Obama
By Judd Legum on Jul 12, 2011 at 3:40 pm

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is proposing a new plan that would give the Republicans everything they want — $2.5 trillion in spending cuts — plus 12 new chances to blame Obama for everything. Under the McConnell plan:

1. Obama would have to request and increase in the debt ceiling along with “a plan to reduce spending by a greater amount.”

2. Either chamber could pass a “Resolution of Disapproval” blocking the plan. Since the GOP knows they don’t have enough votes in the Senate, this method ensures the House would pass such a resolution, sending it back to the President.

3. Obama would then have an opportunity to veto the resolution.

4. Obama would have to round up enough Democratic votes to avoid the veto from being overridden.

Each of these unnecessary steps would repeated three times giving Republicans a chance to bash Obama on 12 separate occasions, while avoiding any accountability for the debt ceiling increase or spending cuts. The largest of the three debt limit increases under the McConnell Plan is scheduled for the summer of 2012, to maximize political opportunities against Obama.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/07/12/267031/new-mcconnell-plan-we-get-everything-we-want-on-debt-ceiling-plus-12-opportunities-to-bash-obama/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

[jefferson_dem]

19. "@FreedomWorks: Sen. McConnell thinks cutting spending is too hard...

Help him find his spine! Call him at 202-224-2541"

Blowback from the fringe teabagger types... on McConnell's shitty, cowardly scheme.

[CakeGrrl]

20. Debt limit only is what the President wanted in the first place.

But of course they try to do it by making him jump through hoops.

Asshats.

[Tennessee Gal]

26. Yes, and they have done it repeatedly over the past several

years without all this hoopla. They are just proving themselves to be total jerks.

[bigwillq]

36. I'm still in love with Judas, baby!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn8Wrmzuc

[Arkana]

37. Wait, what?

So in exchange for a debt limit vote they want to, um...force a debt limit vote?

Mitch McConnell are not so gud at polyticks.

[ProSense]

41. Sorry in advance:

HUFFPOST HILL - Mitch McConnell Strips Naked And Screams Incoherently (Legislatively Speaking)

Ick!

:rofl:

[Bluenorthwest]

42. Mitch hits a new low with this. Craven, absurd, and I doubt legal

what a cynical fuck he is. Slime, thy name is McConnell.

[Phx_Dem]

44. Obama plays these wingnuts just like a fiddle. He's so good at it.

And God are they dumb.

[DCBob]

46. Of course the pukes were going to blink.. their billionaire backers wouldnt allow a default...

that would ultimately affect their bottom line.

I think the President should take this offer and run with it. Its a win-win situation in my opinion.

[Kablooie]

47. McConnell must have received a nicely worded message from his corporate overlords.

They know that if the debt limit isn't raised, corporate America is screwed big time and it's already beginning to cause pain.

Sounds like they finally put their foot down and said screw this negotiation shit.
Raise the damn limit or ... insert your own sword of damocles here.

[polichick]

49. What a chickenshit McConnell is - as if people will think it's only the prez raising the limit...

...when he and his sicko cronies have passed him the ball. Too fuckin' funny!

[Canuckistanian]

50. Pontius Pilate? Don't they mean Judas?

That's a bad Biblical analogy.