In defense of the White House - Jonathan Bernstein - WaPo

A response to Krugman's hysterical criticism of Obama by Jonathan Bernstein who knows that you have to count the votes - and the Republicans have the voter-given power to obstruct almost anything, limited only by their... - GWC

In defense of the White House - The Plum Line - The Washington Post:

by Jonathan Bernstein

"I have no idea what’s going to happen in the next week. One hopes that enough Republicans are only bluffing with their craziness, or can be talked out of their craziness (by who? Who will they listen to?) at the last minute. Or perhaps eventually, if there’s no other way, the president will take unilateral action — the Constitutional option — after all. But the idea that there was some obvious way for Democrats to deal with this situation strikes me as naïve. This isn’t about poor bargaining or fecklessness by the Democrats. It’s about dealing with the consequences of the fact that Americans elected to Congress a whole bunch of people who are either trying to impose fringe policy views despite apparently having no understanding whatsoever of their consequences — or are so driven by opposition to the president that their highest priority is opposing him, regardless of those consequences."

A plain blog about politics: Why Republicans Will Lose the Debt Limit Battle (more than the Democrats will lose)

Jonathan Bernstein can count votes and does, so his analyses are helpful. - GWC

A plain blog about politics: Why Republicans Will Lose the Debt Limit Battle (more than the Democrats will lose): "So the talks are broken down again. It's not exactly a surprise; the odds have always been good that any deal, whether it's a Grand Bargain or something like the clean McConnell that gives the GOP only symbolic gains, will happen at the last minute. Remember, almost all of what we're seeing is either bargaining, spin, or some other form of posturing or misinformation. That's not bad -- but it is what it is, and there's no point in pretending that it's anything else.

Meanwhile, in a post over at the other place earlier today, I pointed out that the eventual deal, should there be one (and sooner or later there will be some sort of deal) will wind up a lot closer to the Democrats’ ideal position than to the GOP perfect spot. I owe an explanation for that, so here it is, in three parts."