Mitch McConnell is not alone in creating a wish-list for programs to kill in exchange for raising the national debt ceiling. Georgia Rep. Paul Broun (R) thinks we should abolish the Department of Education and the Department of Energy before we think about raising the debt ceiling.
BROUN: I want to make this clear. I will not vote to raise the debt ceiling unless we have major cuts in the size and scope of the federal government.
MULTIPLE CONSTITUENTS: Can you define major?
BROUN: I propose getting rid of the Department of Education. I’d like to get rid of the Department of Energy as well.
I understand what the Republicans are doing here -- they're launching red meat at the wall hoping to see something stick. I get it, but I don't believe it's going to work.
One of the problems with constantly saying you will not vote to raise the debt ceiling is being on record for saying you will not, ya' know, vote for it. So when the shit hits the fan it's pretty easy to see, even for the casual observer, who to blame.
Leading up to the deadline for a government shutdown earlier this year, polls indicated that voters would blame Republicans for a shutdown, but not by a very wide margin. I expect noticeably different numbers, in favor of Democrats, during this latest round of Republican brinkmanship.
via ThinkProgress