Boehner’s promise
by digby
The annual Pete Peterson Poor People Ritual Sacrifice Confab is in full swing and tonight they have a very special guest scheduled. It’s the deficit hawk version of a lap dance:
In remarks at the 2012 Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Boehner will erect the same requirements for raising the debt limit this coming winter that nearly led the country to default on its debt last August.
“We shouldn’t dread the debt limit. We should welcome it. It’s an action-forcing event in a town that has become infamous for inaction,” Boehner will say according to excerpts of prepared remarks provided by his office. “That night in New York City, I put forth the principle that we should not raise the debt ceiling without real spending cuts and reforms that exceed the amount of the debt limit increase…. When the time comes, I will again insist on my simple principle of cuts and reforms greater than the debt limit increase. This is the only avenue I see right now to force the elected leadership of this country to solve our structural fiscal imbalance. If that means we have to do a series of stop-gap measures, so be it – but that’s not the ideal. Let’s start solving the problem. We can make the bold cuts and reforms necessary to meet this principle, and we must.”
They are going to have to pass out cigarettes and bottles of cold water to the attendees after that one.
Of course this was preordained. And they are fairly likely to kick the can down the road. Even if their real Armageddon happens and the Bush tax cuts expire, there’s little doubt that they’d extend most of them again. (This is one reason why I don’t get why they’re all so against it. Why pass up the chance to enact more tax cuts, and strut around like conquering heroes, even if they are just the old ones re-enacted?)
Anyway, enjoy your election. The minute it’s over, no matter who wins, we’re going to be rolling around in a pile of lame duck droppings.
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