For much of the past two months Democrats accused the Republican of holding the country “hostage” in the debt ceiling fight. According to the Democrats, the Republicans had routinely raised the debt limit with no accompanying spending cuts under President Bush, but had suddenly decided to hold America’s economy hostage until their demands were met under President Obama. For a while Republicans expressed outrage at this accusation, saying they were simply trying to bring some “fiscal sanity” to Washington and express the “will of the people.” However, yesterday Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was bold enough as to openly the hostage taking strategy.
In an interview in The Washington Post McConnell admitted that many of his members were actually willing to let the country default,
“I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting.”
McConnell goes on to say that he and other members of the GOP were more reasonable. However, McConnell still praises the idea of holding the debt ceiling, and the economy with it, “hostage” for a ransom.
“Most of us didn't think that. What we did learn is this -- it's a hostage that's worth ransoming. And it focuses the Congress on something that must be done. “
Indeed, as Talking Points Memo notes, the Republicans immediately moved to implement the strategy again as soon as the debt ceiling fight was over. Speaker Boehner adjourned the House of Representatives until September 7 without approving a bill to fund the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Boehner and his members are demanding their bill, with an anti-union provision slipped in, be passed in the Senate. Until a bill is approved, thousands of federal employees will be out of work.
[See also: The no good, ugly, dangerous precedent set by the debt ceiling deal]
In addition, McConnell and his colleagues should get another opportunity for ransom in September. The Congress approved a debt ceiling increase, but they still have to pass a budget that defines how that money will be spent. If a new appropriations bill is not passed by the end of September then the federal government will shut down. Last year the Republicans tried to defund Planned Parenthood as part of their budget demands, and a similar battle will surely occur in September. A government shutdown would not have as dramatic of an effect as a default, but the consequences for the larger economy would still be severe.
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