It’s been more than six months since Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Penn., introduced the “Full Faith and Credit Act.” It turned out to be the first volley of a surprisingly effective campaign to put the onus for any debt default, or any citizen panic, on the president.
But it doesn’t speak well of where we are in the debt fight that Toomey re-sold the legislation today.
“It’s obvious now to everybody that it’s possible, increasingly possible, that we will pass August 2nd without the debt limit being raised,” said Toomey, flanked by conservatives from the House and Senate, saying the same things they’d been saying for months. The only new information came when members of the press corps ignored the new roll-out and started asking about the Boehner plan. Did the Boehner plan have 217 votes among Republicans?
“As of this morning, it did not,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, whose Republican Study Committee pushed the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan.
It was in that context that Republicans delivered their best blame lines.
“If there’s a crisis,” said Sen. Rand Paul, “the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the president.”
“We need a solution, not a deal,” said Rep. Scott Garrett, R-NJ. “The House already passed a bipartisan balanced approach.” IE, CCB.
Rep. Joe Walsh won the insult contest, comparing the president to a 10-year old who was “stomping his feet and pointing his finger.” And that’s where we are with conservatives.
