I have to confess that I was not able to understand what, exactly, Megan McArdle thinks Republicans should do here, but if I were in the Republican House leadership, I would figure out exactly what it is, and then not do it.
It’s a win win–better for the GOP, better for the country. And if I’m wrong, and he does force a default, then it’s the fault of the Democrats, not you! It doesn’t get much better than that, right?
The Iraq War, the Matt Yglesias beat down…if history is any guide, seriously, whatever it is, Republicans shouldn’t do it.
Update. Way I feel is, you don’t own a default.
Southern Beale
Today in schadenfreude: Donald Rumsfeld got stopped at O’Hare airport security for a personal pat-down. I find that abso fucking hilarious.
gbear
She blames Obama.
DougJ in Damascus
But what does she want Republicans to do? Part of it is passing a short term debt measure, but then what? I can’t tell.
Cat Lady
If?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
what was the Yglesias beatdown? By McMegs? Did he make her pumpkin souffle fall? Sneeze in her special chartreuse Mongolian salt? Drink the last can of ironically cheap beer (in a can)?
That aside, and wherever you stand on the budget, how does this rather fantastically stupid person think going through this horseshit every six weeks is “good for the country”?
DougJ in Damascus
Matt Yglesias got jacked on his way home from the McSuderman house a few months ago.
Southern Beale
Well, she says she thinks the Republicans should
So that’s her plan. I guess Obama could not sign it, which falls under the “if I’m wrong” umbrella.
beltane
Yes, Megan! That’s so cool! Let’s fly our country into a mountain and blame it on liberals! What a brilliant mind you have there! I bet you were the star of your preschool class!
The parents of this parasitic twat should be slapped in the face for raising such a stupid, petty creature who is of no value to society.
Lawnguylander
Needs more 2 x 4.
Whatever happened with the Yglesias (jumps up to get) beatdown? Did the cops find any suspects? I was so upset when I heard that I almost couldn’t finish my 4th helping of waffles.
DougJ in Damascus
And then do what in nine months? The idea is he won’t sign it if it’s just nine months?
Suffern ACE
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Because she is an amoral disaster junkie?
Southern Beale
The Matt Yglesias beat-down.
Southern Beale
Go through this while exercise again with an election 7 months away I guess. Wheee!
beltane
@Southern Beale
The presence of McMegan and her sex partner in that neighborhood seems to have attracted a criminal element. I can’t imagine why.
Southern Beale
I just found out that Peter Suderman is a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow. There’s a joke in there somewhere, I’ve just had too much wine to find it. Oh wait, the joke is that there’s a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow.
Southern Beale
@ beltane –
I really did not need a visual of McMegan and Peter Suderman having sex, not after over indulging in sushi. Thanks a lot!
gbear
@DougJ in Damascus
Sorry, I was just riffing on ‘I blame Obama’. I don’t have a clue as to what she wants republicans to do.
bkny
SoBeale … omg – that’s hilarious about rumsfeld getting a tsa patdown. i’m surprised he doesn’t have a free pass.
Brian S
Her strategy actually isn’t a bad one except for one thing–the Republicans can’t just pass a short term debt ceiling increase and then dare Obama to not sign it or veto it. She forgets that they don’t run the Senate–the Democrats do, and any deal has to go through both Houses. I know the Republicans have acted like they won both Houses in 2010, but there’s a reason that most of the legislation that the teatards have passed in the House hasn’t become law, and it’s not because Obama’s been wielding the veto pen like a +4 Sword of Bullshit Cleaving.
Mike in NC
A pity that AAA or somebody didn’t create a Bob Novak Courteous Driver Award to go along with that.
Mike Kay (Team America)
why do you obsess over her and bobo? You might as well do posts on whatever coulter and Hannity say.
scav
Southern Beale @ 1
Schadenoverload. The-Firm-Formerly-Known-As-Blackwater’s got another suit. AND this one involves over-billing and fraud so . . . well, let’s just say it might tug a little harder on the heartstrings of those that usually condone murder, rape and violence as no biggies.
ETA: I forgot to exclaim at you how how madly odd this day is full of schaden and terror in close proximity and in abundance.
hilts
@Southern Beale,
A more appropriate name would be the Prince of Darkness Journalism Fellow
TX Expat
McMegan really does think Obama is bluffing when he says that he will veto any short term deal. I don’t think he is and if polling is any indicator he will win the argument in case of a default. It will be 1995 again and the Republicans will own it – as well they should. The semi-sane Republicans realize this and that’s why they’re trying to push the eject button. McMegan is, as always, wrong.
kth
If the Republicans pass a short-term deal, they blinked. Though it will really mean they were finally not crazy enough to ruin millions of lives in pursuit of their massively-unpopular social engineering schemes, it will be viewed as a capitulation by the people who matter: (1) their lunatic fan base, and (2) the msm.
DougJ in Damascus
I have a problem.
MikeJ
@Southern Beale:
Ask yourself, “if Rumsfeld were an Iranian agent, what would he have done differently?” I can’t think of anything. That being the case, you should assume he wants to harm America.
Southern Beale
@scav:
Hmm, well this from your link:
I think the knowledge that our tax money is going to pay for snipers is something too icky for most Americans to acknowledge. It’s going to be hard to gin up outrage over “Mah tax dollahs” paying for a sniper who just stayed behind a desk.
I dunno, maybe it’s just me.
srv
Er, Rumsfeld is an idiot.
Cheney was the agent.
Suffern ACE
Yeah, they really want a short term deal, since their demanding a constitutional amendment to pass before they consider raising the ceiling.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@DougJ in Damascus:
Admitting that you have a problem is always the first step.
Linda Featheringill
What’s with the 9 months? Is she having a baby?
The full faith and credit of the govt [or whatever] would benefit from a 2-year extension of the debt ceiling. The rest of the world could then sigh with relief and go back to their business.
An itsy-bitsy extension wouldn’t have that effect.
Carl Nyberg
Picture a person who thinks he’s tough and then when the fight happens gets his ass kicked.
After getting the ass kicking, the guy asks for a rematch.
What’s gonna change in nine months? The GOP will have a nominee?
So, what’s the GOP nominee’s position going to be on the debt ceiling?
Massive cuts or the government defaults? S/he flip-flops and tells the Republicans in Congress to grow up?
Both these paths will split the GOP catastrophically.
These people are not thinking clearly. The bigotry and ideology have short-circuited their brains.
replicnt6
1) Pass 9-month debt ceiling increase
2) ???
3) Profit!
J
Megan McArdle is a travesty of an excuse for a human being.
Groucho48
If this were a football game, the Reps would have been driving and on the Dems 20 yard line. But, then they got a penalty and Obama got a sack and they are just about out of field goal range. The short term extension is a punt for them, hoping to pin the Dems on the 1 yard line and hoping to get the ball back in good field position with not much time on the clock.
azlib
Megan does not get it. The Republicans do not have the votes for a short term increase. Increasing the debt limit is a moral atrocity to their tea party base. So Megan’s argument is really pretty moot. And her focus on who would have the political advantage just shows her moral bankruptcy.
stinkdaddy
Last week she was saying default would be a huge win for the Dems. I have no further comment.
bobbo
Isn’t the one who says “Go ahead, make my day” (Eastwood, Reagan, Obama), supposed to be the hero? I thought the point of being a MoDo wannabe was that you knew nothing about policy but you could at least make lame cultural references that any moron could make. McMegan can’t even do the easy part!
Mike D.
Bingo. the problem here is not on the If-I’m-Wrong side of the ledger. Yeah, if Obama vetoes a short term extension, basically everyone loses, and Obmam isn’t excepted there. So maybe she’s ‘right’ that he won’t (despite what he says). But then what is she ‘right’ that? So he’ll sign it, and then _________? What? Cantor gets to negotiate political defeat and policy nullity from overwhelming policy leverage again in nine months? Awesome.
Bob
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/07/14/the-damage-already-done-by-the-debt-ceiling-debate/
Felix Salmon says McCardle is wrong.
Paul in KY
J, I think McMegan is a shamockery of a human being.