The Republikans Try to Pick a Fight.

This is political post.

The Republicans have drawn their line in the sand, in the process putting us ALL at risk. And they still might not get what they want.

Over the past few weeks, the Republicans have made what is usually a non-issue, the raising of the federal debt ceiling (FDC), into a potential world threatening conundrum. The FDC has been raised more than 100 times since it was first enacted in 1917, at least five times under the previous administration alone. But now, suddenly, it's a issue that can't be rubber stamped and can't be looked at as anything less than THE most important piece of legislation in America...possibly the world - right now. And since one of the two parties talking has pretty much said they WILL not negotiate, I begin to wonder how long it will before anyone else recognizes the tactics of terrorists in our own leaders.

One man's revolutionary is another man's terrorist. Only history will grade us.

And then the Republican lead negotiator Rep. Cantor walked out of the talks and insisted the President get involved. And this kids, is where it stops being about the economy, or America, or principles, or honor or anything ...other than politics. If this were the hood, the appropriate phrase would "staying in your lane". Because to the Republican elite, this isn't about anything other than hurting Obama. One has to wonder, now that Schmaucher has finally said it out loud, how far will the Republicans go to make a point?

I'm not sure if Cantor wants nothing more than to be able to say he faced down the President or is just too chickenshit to take the lead role. We know Sen.McConnell would love to say he did it. But I do know the Republicans are positioning themselves to be able to say the President lead us into this hole. Especially the Senator, who wants nothing more make Obama a one term President, damn the rest of us. And they can't really do that if the President is "doing what he's constitutionally mandated to do" which is wait for the bill to come to him. Even as I listened today, the conservative machine talking points 4pm email finally got read and suddenly the President needs to "do his job and lead." became the shrill cry. Which means show up at Capitol Hill and let us berate you in public. They're calling him out with everything they have.

A man with a lot on his mind...

But Obama is a former constitutional law professor. And a bright guy. And he's got a bright team. And as he indicated in his speech, he ain't going for it. The only way to get the mud not to stick is to not get in the mud. Which is possibly why Cantor was ducking away. Because if it in late July comes down to principle or people, anyone who chooses principle over financial Armageddon is going to get vilified by the world. And Cantor likes Congress, they have a great gym. And unfortunately, the Republicans have hitched their wagon to group who will vilify them if they they don't chose principle over people. So it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Their only hope is the President backing down.

Then there is the "nuclear option". The ones the Republican's don't want to envision. Under the worst of circumstances, and probably using the same lawyers that said "water-boarding" didn't qualify as torture, the President could potentially order the Treasury to just ignore the debt ceiling. This is based on the theory that since Congress passed the bills, and the President is bound to enforce those bills, that any subsequent limitation by that Congress overruled by the original spending legislation. The Democrats may not have much of a backbone, but they have pulled the trigger in just this same way on the Patient Protection Act (Obamacare). To say they wouldn't again is ludicrous, if it would save the country and the world. The Republicans will be up arms of course, essentially screaming we should have destroyed the world...

But if Obama does has to go that route, talk about energizing his base! Wait. Would that be bad?