More from my Hill friend about what happened last night:
Let’s be clear about what happened. I heard David Wessel on NPR talking about typical “Congressional gridlock.” That is not it at all. The most conservative faction of Republicans – the faction whose extreme ideology helped get us here and that dominates the party – blew up the deal at the last moment, with the help of their equally irresponsible presidential candidate. I thought House speaker Nancy Pelosi was in for a nasty surprise when she tried to take the plan to a vote with the Democratic caucus. But Democratic opponents had no seat at the table in crafting the plan, and have made their dissatisfaction well known. The conservatives have captured the Republican party and were represented in the negotiations. Yet they waited until the last moment and then blew it up. In the name of a ridiculous sketchy alternative that doubles down on their discredited “ideas.” … The Republican Study Group (Hensarling, Cantor, Ryan, the lot of em) are clowns. They had a seat at the table and they conducted themselves in the most irresponsible manner possible. Let their beloved market give them all the credit that is due them.
More along these lines from John Judis: “Putting Country Last.”
