To Be or Not To Be…A Loser: Boehner’s Hamlet Moment

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To Be or Not To Be…A Loser: Boehner’s Hamlet Moment

by Joe McLean Oct 4, 2013 5:45 AM EDT

Boehner can keep the insanity going, or step up and bring a budget resolution to the floor, saving the country from economic collapse. It’s not rocket science, writes Joe McLean.

As Congress flounders and the clock ticks down to universal financial apocalypse, one small fact is being almost completely overlooked: the votes are already there to end the madness, and there are at least a couple of ways to get there before the government shutdown metastasizes into a default meltdown.

Democrats will vote for a clean continuing resolution (CR) and an increase in the debt limit. Those Republican House members not infected with the Tea Party madness will, too. There are more than enough bipartisan votes to break the deadlock, wrest control away from the GOP’s lunatic faction, and restore common sense to American politics, at least for a week or two.

Barrels of ink have already been spilled explaining why Tea Partiers have no incentive to compromise. Gerrymandered districts, primary challenges from the right funded by hugely rich right-wing dark-money cabals, and potential abuse from Fox News. But mostly, they are convinced Democrats are bluffing. They’re certain they can still win by going all-in with the threat of economic destruction.

Democrats see no reason to compromise. They believe they are right on the issues, and more importantly, think they’ve been dealt a winning political hand. They firmly believe the other side holds a busted flush and has to fold or lose the whole pot. Further, many Democrats see this as a matter of principle, and refuse to knuckle under to hijackers.

President Obama has been characteristically eloquent in his reasoning. He’s not going to destroy his legacy, and he sees real constitutional problems with caving in to a radical minority. Furthermore, even if he was willing, Harry Reid and Senate Democrats are not. So there’s no movement and nobody will budge.

But the real secret is: they don’t have to....

full article
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/04/to-be-or-not-to-be-a-loser-boehner-s-hamlet-moment.html

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