The money boys are talking and it's not good for the tea party Republican House members. Wall Street and the Chamber of Commerce want the debt ceiling raised and no more brinksmanship. But the Tea Party always had the Big Money Koch Brothers to rely on to bankroll their crazy-ass campaigns and actions. Until now.
When you've lost the Koch brothers, you've lost the game.
Republicans intent on smashing through the debt ceiling in order to wring some spending concessions out of President Obama are finding themselves awfully lonely these days, but they've kept soldiering on. The latest ally to abandon them may be the toughest to ignore, though. The president of the group Americans For Prosperity, bankrolled by Charles G. and David H. Koch of Koch Industries, yesterday said the group wants spending cuts, but warned Republicans that screwing around with the debt ceiling "makes the messaging more difficult," the Financial Times writes. The AFP president also warned Republicans not to be seen as "hostage takers." That's a marked change from the summer of 2011, when AFP objected to a debt-ceiling deal because it didn't cut spending enough, the FT notes.
Even The Koch Brothers Disagree With The GOP On The Debt Ceiling
I think the House Republicans are about to give in. In this battle, President Obama's toughness will prevail. Now that we have the debt ceiling likely to be raised, the fiscal cliff deal looks better.
It's not over. The Republicans have to try to destroy the economy (because they hate an America that includes blacks, latinos, gays, women as equals and a black President), and they likely will shut down the government by refusing to fund it. And there may be more budget cuts. But I hope the worst threat to the economy is almost over.
With over a half of Republican House members neo-Confederates whose loyalty to this nation is questionable (look at the Sandy relief vote and geographical lines), avoiding a default and recession caused by it should be considered a victory.
The real answer is electing a Democratic House in November 2014.