Another coming dilemma for Congressional Republicans

[rogerashton]

It will soon be necessary to raise the debt limit. There is a segment of the House Republicans who will oppose ANY increase. To avoid default, it will be necessary for them to get some Dem votes. Should the Dems set conditions?

[PoliticAverse]

1. "Should the Dems set conditions?" - are they willing to let a default happen? Otherwise they are..

just making a bluff that can be called.

[Chasstev365]

2. No worries: that was only because there was a black Democratic President in office!

They did it for Bush several times without even a whimper of protest.

[malaise]

3. Really

They will do what they have been doing for the longest while - take the opposite position because ReTHUGs have no problem being hypocrites.

Just watch the video with lyin' Ryan and his views on 'infrastructure' under Obama and under the Con.

[Cosmocat]

4. The House might be a little interesting

there ARE enough scorched earth types there that won't sign any debt limit regardless to maybe add a little drama, but their margin is probably big enough that they could pass it with R only votes.

However, end of the day, Ds will be grown ups about it ...

[rogerashton]

6. I'm not sure, but

the "freedom caucus" are extremist in a way the Pubs in the Bush admin were not. They were enough to delay the house health care bill and require amendments the leadership knew would not pass the Senate. Perhaps they are not enough to prevent a pubs-only increase in the debt limit, as Cosmocat says. In that case, as no_hypocrisy says, it is likely to come with some nasty amendments -- defunding all health care subsidies, for example. In a case of that kind, what is the grown-up position? Perhaps "we will support any CLEAN debt ceiling increase?"

[no_hypocrisy]

5. My concern is that the Republicans will focus on raising the debt ceiling ONLY with

Republicans and not try the bipartisan route. If that's the case, expect a lot of draconian RW agenda to be amendments.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. I don't think Dems should set conditions

Did we learn nothing from the chaos that the Republicans caused when Obama was President? It's more likely than not that it will be the Freedom Caucus in the House and maybe a few Senators that will attempt to set conditions and bring the country to the brink of another debt default.

[uponit7771]

8. Republicans learned they will be re-elected if they crash the economy and cause defaults

[Cosmocat]

9. Uh ... yeah

I, too, am missing where they suffered consequences for being raging asshats.

[rogerashton]

10. Right.

But their donors will lose a PILE of money if there is a default on US bonds. Some of the representatives don't care, but I think most of them do.

[rogerashton]

11. I had not read this when I posted this morning.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/opinion/debt-ceiling-congress-default-real.html?ref=opinion