Who will win the next fight over the debt limit?

News Analysis

It is often said that whoever determines the terms of a political argument determines the outcome.

That rule was clearly in play Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" when a top Republican and a top Democrat sought to frame the upcoming debate over raising the nation's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said that President Obama "needs to become the adult" in the room, arguing that both he and House Speaker John Boehner have already "been the adults in the room arguing that we ought to do something about the nation's most serious long term problem."

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia countered that Republicans are poised to again play "debt ceiling roulette" and potentially destroy the economy with their "my-way-or the-highway approach." He added: "I think it's incredibly irresponsible."

According to the Treasury Department, the nation could reach the debt limit in October - shortly before the November election - though the fight could also come in the lame-duck session that follows the election. In a position that has come to be known as the "Boehner rule," Boehner says he will again insist that an increase in how much the nation can borrow be matched by spending cuts equal to the amount of the increase. While he has opposed any tax increases to reduce the deficit and debt, he has said he is open to some revenue increases in the form of removing loopholes and deductions from the tax code.

Which side blinks in the next debt ceiling fight - whether it comes before or after the election - is tied to whose argument most resonates with Americans. Can Democrats compellingly argue that the Boehner Rule puts the fragile economic recovery at risk? Or will Republicans succeed in making the case that the president has failed to do what it takes to deal with the nation's increasingly crippling debt?

From a rhetorical perspective, the advantage would seem to belong to the Democrats. The Republicans' decision to take a firm stand on raising the debt limit - something that had been routine in the past - led the United States to nearly default on its debts last summer, and contributed to a downgrade to the nation's Treasury securities that was a blow to the American psyche. It also meant a cap on discretionary spending and planned automatic cuts in defense and nondefense spending next year, though Republicans are now seeking to reverse the scheduled cuts to military spending.

The problem for Republicans is that Americans care a lot more about the economy than they do reducing the debt and deficit. In an April CBS News/New York Times poll, nearly half said the economy and jobs are the most important problem facing the country today. Just five percent cited the budget deficit.

That wound suggest that Democrats can win the argument if they can successfully point to the last ugly debt ceiling fight to argue that Republicans are putting the economy at risk. Even if Republicans can convince Americans that President Obama is failing to lead on the debt and deficit, it won't provide nearly the same benefit because most Americans don't see it as a pressing issue.

Yet the Republican leadership has little choice but to start another fight over raising the debt limit. Many rank-and-file House Republicans are among that five percent that sees the debt as the issue that outweighs all others; they also know that if they don't take a strong stand on the issue, they expose themselves to Tea Party-backed primary challenges. That leaves Boehner with little choice but to fight the debt limit fight once again - even if it means risking further political damage to a party that saw its standing slide after last year's debt battles.

[jeanschineon]

Nobody will win because the Republicans in Congress are incompetent.

[gep1955]

The press is as corrupt as these politicians. Who wins? If it is not for the long term benefit of citizens, nobody wins.

[marychgo]

There should not BE a vote on the debt ceiling!

Congress passes appropriations bills that require the executive branch to spend money. If there isn't enough revenue coming in, appropriations bills require the executive branch to borrow money. If Congress DOESN'T want the executive branch to borrow money, it SHOULDN'T pass the appropriations bills.

A separate bill to authorize raising the debt ceiling is NOTHING but an opportunity for pandering GOP politicians to grandstand, pretending that, even though THEY passed appropriations bills, the PRESIDENT shouldn't borrow money to pay for them. It's insane!

[slownewsday_5000]

by Jaylah54 May 21, 2012 7:30 PM EDT Correct.

But Boehner has said that he will not vote for another increase "without a fight."

----

What people don't realize is that it was actually HIS fault for our credit-rating being downgraded, according to the ratings agency.

.

[TimeToEvolve]

Since the Republicons do not have any idea how to run a country of use a budget, they have to try to turn it around and use it against someone else. This is how they roll. Rovian flip flopping like call someone else the terrorists when they actually are the terrorists. Say that someone else ran the debt up when they did. Say that someone else is going after freedoms when they are.

This is how Republicons roll now.

[sjc_1]

so true...

[gep1955]

its the senate domocrats who haven't passed a busget in three years so as to cover up their out of control spending and the press helps them. When have you ever heard a reporter ask reid, polosi, "why haven't you passed a budget for three years"?

[nearl451]

Anyone that thinks there is a fight over the "debt limit" has been bamboozled.

There is a fight over the budget (or lack thereof) and a fight over how to or whether to pay for things, but the debt and the debt limit are a RESULT of the process of budgeting and spending, NOT a decision.

[Jaylah54]

Correct.

But Boehner has said that he will not vote for another increase "without a fight."

So even though rational Americans understand the situation, Crybaby obviously assumes we're not that smart.

[TimeToEvolve]

But the Republicons who ran up the debt need to blame it on someone else. This is repeated after every Republicon administration.

[occupy_cbs]

Wonder why mitt romney warned that cutting federal spending will 'slow down the economy' back on Feb. 21, 2012:

"If you just cut, if all you're thinking about doing is cutting spending, as you cut spending you'll slow down the economy," he said.

[occupy_cbs]

handout: "pre-recession democrat sponsored financial regulation"




LOL! Entirely too funny!

The 1999 gramm-leach-bliley act that trashed Glass-Steagall and opened the financial sector to the over-leveraging of banks and risky derivative instruments that completely destroyed our economy, was going to be "fixed" with the Dems magic wand overnight, and all those trillions in toxic mortgages and trillions in risky derivatives were going to just disappear?

What are you smoking now?

[TimeToEvolve]

We are seeing the end result of 33 years of failed Reaganomics. Borrow and spend, borrow and spend by the Republicons, then blame it on the next people. How stupid do the Republicons think Americans are anyway. Corporations above all else, above workers and families, that's the Republicon Capitalist way.

[occupy_cbs]

Unamerican: "Spending cuts, lowering the tax rates, removing loopholes"




Yeah...yeah...yeah...too bad NONE of the republicans have mentioned even one deduction or loophole to be removed!

The fiscally-irresponsible BORROW AND SPEND republicans, just love to lower taxes, lower taxes and lower taxes, especially on the wealthiest Americans like willard romney, but just don't want to mention even one tax deduction or tax loophole.

[TimeToEvolve]

Then they can blame it on the Democrats. They are always right, it's the Republicon capitalist way.

[occupy_cbs]

More like republiCON vulture capitalism that turned into corporatism -- just another term for fascism, with a blending of government with BIG BIZ corporations!