October 11, 2013
MarkBernstein.org
 

Chess

It seems clear that, the way things are going, there’s a real risk that the House will force the US into default. If they do, we’ve been hoping that Obama would rediscover the 14th amendment, or that he’d mint the trillion-dollar coin. Krugman sees the alternative, simply, as “God help us all.”

But Josh Marshall has a good argument that, even though a patch might be better than nothing, it could still be a disaster. And — worse — he fears that Boehner plans to capitulate at the last minute if all else fails but, when the time comes, Boehner will be unwilling to do what needs to be done.

But the stakes are too high to give in. Career Republican aide Mike Lofgren writes:

For God’s sake, how many times do we have to refight the Civil War? You suggested a House discharge petition (which Pelosi is pursuing); I suggest taking off the kid gloves. How about drawing up articles of impeachment against the House and Senate instigators of the shutdown, since they are clearly nonfeasant with respect to their oaths of office, and their actions are causing substantive harm to the public interest?

Bill Moyers:

At least, let's name this for what it is: sabotage of the democratic process. Secession by another means.

We need a fallback plan to save the country. There may be no choice but to attempt something that will seem radical. We face a procedural roadblock; procedures can be devised to remove it. We need to stop playing with the optics and start planning the worst-case endgame.

What are the options? Remove Boehner? Expel Boehner from the House? Expel the Suicide Caucus from the House? Get allies to pledge the full faith and credit of their governments to secure our debt? Accept a trillion dollar gift from the Bank of England? Find twenty patriotic GOP Congresspeople, form a rump, pass a CR and debt limit bill, and then unbar the doors?

We must hope it won’t come to that. But, if Boehner cannot do what must be done, we need a plan in place, and we need enough time to execute it.

This ain’t beanbag.

“We stand at Armageddon and we battle for the Lord.” — Theodore Roosevelt.