The Rethugs think they have a WIN-WIN situation for 2012.

[pnwmom]

They can either force Obama to agree to massive cuts in funding of the poor and taxes for the rich -- in exchange for raising the debt ceiling.
Or they can refuse to raise the ceiling and sit on their hands while the economy goes down the toilet -- for decades. And watch the media and most people blame Obama.

[napi21]

1. That well may be their dream, but I don't see it happening.

I think Boner is going to sside with the increase. The Dems will side with him, the few remaining rational Pubs will side with him too, and the vote will pass. Boner will have to suffer another threat of being primaried.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I don't think this is likely.

He has shown, in his speech the other day, that he means to raise taxes on the wealthy, and I think he'll stick to his guns.

We shall see.

I do understand your pessimism, however...

[Patchuli]

3. That theory totally shows what stupid asshats Rethugs are

because the latter possibility is mutually ensured destruction. They think they win if we all go down the toilet? Oh boy...

[pnwmom]

4. How many times have you seen Democrats blame Obama

for what Congress does?

And you don't think Republicans would do the same thing?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

10. Well, their spokesperson

DID say that he hopes Obama fails (and might as well have said that he hopes the country fails- whenever a Democrat is in charge of it). While we all wish for the opposition party's electoral defeat, we still work with them to keep government running (more or less) and fight them at the polls at election time. Republicans OTOH are in constant "campaign mode" and fight us relentlessly everywhere and they don't seem to care much about the collateral damage they end up causing.

[golfguru]

5. Yap, the buck stops at president's desk

good or bad.

[opihimoimoi]

Sounds good to the crazy GOPers...but they will get the blame in the end...

besides, their shtick is rapidly being exposed as assininely stupid...and greedy

[opihimoimoi]

6. self delete

[JoePhilly]

7. I think the S&P move yesterday was a message to the moderate GOP

from their corporate leaders.

The message, "raise the debt ceiling".

[sweetapogee]

8. maybe

I think the house pukes will tell the administration how much it can spend and then let then let the administration and senate decide what to cut. Also, as we saw last fall, even before the election there wasn't enough dem support to raise taxes on anyone, in fact, if memory serves correctly the pre-election Democratic dominated congress with WH support voted to extend the bush tax cuts.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. I dunno

The Republicans took a bruising (both from the media and teabaggers) during the latest budget battle and the introduction (and harsh repudiation) of the Ryan "gut Medicare" plan seems to have bruised them further and now the Republicans everywhere are sinking fast in the polls. I would imagine that President Obama and the Dems (should) have the upper hand here. All the Dems really need to do is to highlight the fact that Republicans voted to raise the debt ceiling multiple times during Bush's (P)residency and AFAIK didn't demand any concessions in order to do it and Obama needs to stand up there and demand a "clean bill". If the Republicans block efforts to raise the debt ceiling and things go sour, they will IMHO be the ones ultimately held accountable. They may think they're holding all the cards but they're really not IMHO.