GOP Apocalypse Again?
2011-07-18 - by
Clearly, the Republican adults in Washington don’t want to drive off the shut-down-government cliff again. They remember how well that worked for Newt Gingrich in 1995 – and led directly to President Clinton’s reelection in 1996.
The leaders’ problem is they can’t control the Tea Party kids who keep grabbing the steering wheel, with the encouragement of a Gingrich now desperate to cozy up to the Tea Party.
I don’t pretend to understand the consequences of not lifting the debt ceiling. I studiously avoided any economics class in college.
But when responsible people in government and business warn of “financial catastrophe,” it gets my attention.
And I can understand the politics of that.
Simply put, as bad as default might be for the country, it would be even worse for the Republican Party. They will get the full blame. Why? Because, just like in 1995, nobody believes Democrats want to shut down government, stop spending and avoid debt. Republicans do, so Republicans would pay the political price.
I know, I know it would be irresponsible to wish for economic disaster just to purge America of the Tea Party madness.
But, at some point, those nuts are liable to get hold of the steering wheel. The only question is how much damage they’ll do.
GOP Apocalypse Again?
2011-07-18/
Clearly, the Republican adults in Washington don’t want to drive off the shut-down-government cliff again. They remember how well that worked for Newt Gingrich in 1995 – and led directly to President Clinton’s reelection in 1996.
The leaders’ problem is they can’t control the Tea Party kids who keep grabbing the steering wheel, with the encouragement of a Gingrich now desperate to cozy up to the Tea Party.
I don’t pretend to understand the consequences of not lifting the debt ceiling. I studiously avoided any economics class in college.
But when responsible people in government and business warn of “financial catastrophe,” it gets my attention.
And I can understand the politics of that.
Simply put, as bad as default might be for the country, it would be even worse for the Republican Party. They will get the full blame. Why? Because, just like in 1995, nobody believes Democrats want to shut down government, stop spending and avoid debt. Republicans do, so Republicans would pay the political price.
I know, I know it would be irresponsible to wish for economic disaster just to purge America of the Tea Party madness.
But, at some point, those nuts are liable to get hold of the steering wheel. The only question is how much damage they’ll do.