What Boehner is Doing

Jonathan Chait: “Here’s the best rule for determining what John Boehner will do in any situation: If there is a way for him to delay a moment of confrontation or political risk, he will do it. That’s why Boehner’s current plan is to raise the debt ceiling for six weeks while keeping the government shut down.”

“Business is freaked out and will be furious with him if he triggers a default. So he’s raising the debt ceiling for long enough to get them off his back. And tea-partiers will be furious if he abandons their quest to defund Obamacare by shutting down the government. So he’s leaving that part in place.”

Politico: “Boehner’s latest gambit… isn’t exactly a magic bullet. It’s a bet that President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders will want so desperately to avoid a cataclysmic debt default that they will backtrack on their refusal to negotiate with Republicans and open broad budget talks.”