Right-Wing Activists Abandon Linking Obamacare Repeal To Debt Ceiling

[ProSense]

Right-Wing Activists Abandon Linking Obamacare Repeal To Debt Ceiling

By Rebecca Leber

Days before the nation hits its debt ceiling deadline October 17, conservatives are beginning to abandon their strategy of demanding concessions for a vote that prevents a U.S. default. Even as Republicans downplay the consequences of missing this deadline, Heritage Action and other influential conservatives have urged a new strategy that keeps Obamacare out of the debt debate. Now, they want Republicans to stay focused on keeping the government closed over Obamacare but relent on a debt ceiling increase.

On Wednesday morning, Heritage Action CEO Michael Needham conceded, “We should raise the debt limit.” “We’d give the speaker some flex on a short-term debt limit increase,” Needham said, though he went on that Heritage will oppose a budget continuing resolution that does not defund the healthcare law. “We’d be opposed to anything that would be considered a long-term debt limit increase, anything that goes beyond the 2014 election.”

Erik Erickson echoed that point on RedState, urging the GOP not to use the debt ceiling as leverage in its anti-Obamacare crusade and a short-term raise instead. “Conservatives need to push the debt ceiling fight off the front burner to after Christmas,” he said, continuing, “This would buy us some time to finish the fight to defund Obamacare and set us up well to fight the next long-term debt limit increase to the death by removing some of the President’s scare tactics.”

At the same time, Reps. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Eric Cantor (R-VA) have floated a debt ceiling agreement that does not demand a full Obamacare repeal. In separate op-eds, Ryan suggested the healthcare debate can be pushed off, while Cantor made no mention of it. Needham responded today that the “attention of Republicans and conservatives needs to be back on Obamacare and not on other ways out of this situation,” so the GOP can focus on dragging out the shutdown.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/10/09/2756941/right-wing-abandon-debt-limit-hostage-strategy/

No, this doesn't look like winning.

Boehner: Clean Debt Limit Would Be 'Unconditional Surrender' For GOP (updated)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023809599

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023815784

Hostage takers disagree over ransom note
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023814645

[Cha]

1. K&R

[gopiscrap]

2. Imagine that

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. Kick!

[freshwest]

4. No more of these deals over something that should be off the table. Fuck 'em.

If they are going to kill us, just look us straight in the eyes and aim for the head. This is like a cat playing with its dinner.