We’re just getting the first word on this. So the details may be subject to clarification. But Senate Minority Leader has just suggested the GOP will give President Obama his debt limit increase without any spending cuts with a legislative maneuver that in essence allows Republicans to say it’s all Obama’s fault.

If that sounds bizarre, well, it is pretty bizarre. But that’s what he said. More in a moment.

Update: Here’s the story.

Late Update: I’m not at all certain this proposed cave from McConnell is going to survive the heat from the right. But if it does, obviously it has vast political and economic implications. What really strikes me though is this: whoever wins politically, wouldn’t this amount to an epic and pretty much open admission of the rankest cynicism on the part of Republican leaders? We’ll let you do pretty much anything as long as we’ve got the politics wired to help us. That’s pretty much the message. I know, I know. Haven’t I been been watching? But, still …

I just finished explaining that Mitch McConnell epic passing of the buck to President Obama amounts to one of the most brazen and open admissions of cynicism I’ve ever seen. McConnell is saying: Debt, Schmedt, we’ll let you do pretty much anything as long as we’ve got the politics wired to help us. But I spoke too soon because there are at least a few Democrats who are as craven or perhaps simply as weak-minded as McConnell. Sam Stein tweeted that while Redstate is calling for McConnell to be “burned in effigy” one “Dem source” calls McConnell’s move that of an “evil genius”. Read More

We are now about to enter that discontinuum of time and space where Republicans never threatened to withhold approval for raising the debt ceiling, never used it as leverage in negotiations, and thought all along that preserving the full faith and credit of the United States should trump short term political gain. Here’s the statement just out from the spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-OH):

The Speaker shares the Leader’s frustration. Republicans are unified in our commitment to ensuring that the debt limit is not used as leverage to saddle small businesses with increased taxes that destroy jobs.

Let’s do the time warp again.

One of Arizona’s top pro-gun legislators is now disputing claims that she pointed a loaded gun (which has no safety) at a reporter’s chest to show how cool it was. She claims what really happened is that the reporter, Richard Ruelas of the Arizona Republic was silly enough to sit down in front of her loaded and aimed gun.

As I said earlier, I don’t get why any Dems would see this as an “evil genius” move on McConnell’s part. Unless of course you’re inherently afraid of facing the voters with what you actually think is the best policy for the country (not a hypothetical for many Democrats). My take though is that it’s not evil genius at all. It’s hitting the escape hatch. It looks on the surface like it’s terrible politics for the Democrats but only if you never leave the DC bubble. Also, it will explode the American right. For all these reasons, I very much doubt this McConnell plan will go anywhere because it will help the Dems and spur blood-letting of unparalleled proportions in the GOP.

But we’ll see soon enough, won’t we?

Grover Norquist — Grover Norquist! — has come out in favor of Mitch McConnell’s proposal to go ahead and raise the debt limit and leave spending cuts up to Obama.

Here’s the key quote: “Obama is playing politics. Republicans need to force him to do what the established press is not doing. He says he’s got a serious proposal. Could we see it written down please?”

Now Republicans want Obama to come up with the cuts. Not enact them. They’re reserving that power to the Congress. But he writes the list; he’s on the hook for the proposal. Read More

Right-wingers preparing to draw, quarter, burn in effigy and defenestrate (not necessarily in that order) Mitch McConnell.

You never win any Washington debate unless you declare yourself the winner. Period. No third party — let alone the press — will declare you the victor until you bestow the honors upon yourself. It’s just the way the town works.

George W. Bush was very good at that. He declared himself the winner time and again, often when by any objective standard he was the clear loser. But it worked. Read More

TPM Reader HJ says I wasn’t emphatic enough below about what Grover Norquist’s endorsement of the McConnell plan means, pointing to Norquist’s oft-repeated line that he wants to shrink government until it’s small enough to drown in the bathtub: Read More

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