TPM Reader MH isn’t too worried:

Meh. Republicans can play the game theory madman role all they want at this point. But everybody knows the hostage has a get out of jail free card. The Republican fund raising base, the real Republican base - not the abortion fanatics, the christianists or the bigots - will never allow them to voluntarily turn the economy over like a cop car in a riot.

No, the Chamber of Commerce crowd will have the final say in this question, and they’ll only extend the leash to the GOP as long as no real economic damage will accrue. As soon as they see the potential for revenue losses, it will end, not with a default, but with a whimper…

David Kurtz

David Kurtz is Managing Editor and Washington Bureau Chief of Talking Points Memo where he oversees the news operations of TPM and its sister sites.