As the government shutdown began its second week today, there is no end in sight even though the date to raise the debt ceiling is fast approaching. President Obama today repeated his refusal to negotiate with Republicans over the fiscal crisis until they vote to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling without accompanying concessions. That is hardly proposition that Republicans can accept, since the President would have no incentive to concede anything after he got what he wanted.
Since past attempts to reopen the government have failed, the House Republicans are attempting a new tactic, empanelling a bicameral committee to hash out some kind of deal. Of course this brings to mind the failed supercommittee, which was unable to come to an agreement in 2011. Nonetheless, the more optimistic among us might argue that they’d really be forced to act since the debt ceiling needs to be raised in just over a week and we’re already in the middle of the shutdown.
The Hill: House Eyes Supercommittee to Settle Shutdown, Debt Limit
National Journal: Amid Standoff, a New Super Committee?
On Friday we included a link about the House Democrats’ plan to file a “discharge petition” and yesterday we included one about how prominent Republicans said they wouldn’t sign. Today Roll Call blog 218 has an interesting post about why it will fail.
Roll Call: Why the Democrats’ Discharge Petition Won’t Work
And The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire has a post we wish we came up with:
Wall Street Journal: Budget Showdown Glossary: From Box Canyon to Wacko Birds