Optimists and Pessimists

On the debt limit game of chicken, BooMan represents the optimists. He basically thinks the White House has John Boehner by the short-and-curlies:

On this whole debt limit deal, the White House seems to be supremely confident that they'll get something done and that it will be the Republicans who will blink. That's not to say that there won't be some ugly concessions made, but when it comes to facing their respective bases of political support, it's the Congressional Republican leadership who will be getting the worst beating.

This was reinforced today when Senator Schumer started rhetorically jabbing his finger in Boehner's chest. Reference also the sonorous tones of Brit Hume describing the nature of the bluff.

On the pessimist's side is Digby. She, too expects the deal to come through, but fears that the White House will be giving away far too much, and that Republicans will be high-fiving Boehner when it's over:

From his press conference today, it would appear that the president's negotiating strategy really is to give Republicans huge cuts in spending (and "make his base give him a hard time") and then shame them into "meeting him halfway" by agreeing to mildly raise taxes on some luxury items like corporate jet travel. (Luckily, he reassured the nervous CEOs by saying "you'll still be able to ride on your corporate jet, you'll just have to pay a little more" so hopefully they won't have a fit.)That's what constitutes shared sacrifice and fiscal responsibility. Good to know.

I dunno who's right, but it seems like Schumer knows something we don't know. Just wish this were over already.