A Boxer Rebellion?

In Tuesday's USA Today pm edition:

"WASHINGTON — In the wake of the latest confrontation that pushed the nation to the brink of financial default, lawmakers are posing a management question: Can we continue to trust Congress with raising the nation's debt ceiling?

Sen. Barbara Boxer is among a growing group of lawmakers and outside budget experts that say no. "Paying your bills shouldn't be tied to anything else," Boxer said Tuesday.

The United States is the only country in the world that requires a separate vote to raise the debt ceiling to borrow money to pay for spending it has already approved. Denmark has a somewhat similar process, but it is not similarly political.

The California Democrat is advocating legislation to rework the budget process to give the president more authority to raise the debt limit, making it harder for Congress to threaten default. The bill would require veto-proof margins in both chambers to block a president from raising the nation's borrowing limit."

In actuality, at least in theory, this isn't a bad idea. But understand, as with anything in politics, what appears to look good on the surface may not work in real time. Because each person will spin the law or the issue to fit his or her agenda. 

Ms Boxer is correct to want to try something that has worked pretty well in the past. The problem is that the Republicans, Senator McConnell in particular, will probably find fault with this idea even though it was enacted in 2011 at his behest as part of the "Grand Bargain" which wasn't really grand at all. And it was Senator McConnell's idea.

Essentially, this really is the problem with the two parties today. Each party's leaders keep looking for the edge to make the other look foolish, yet, in the end both are no better than the other. That's the shame of today's politicians, not respecting each other's positions.

So now the Republicans want to distance themselves from their own positions. That just shows they are not interested to make things right with with their opposition and for the country. That's too bad. They will have proven they are as leaderless as those they criticize. 

As a registered Republican and as an American, I congratulate Senator Boxer for recognizing that the Democrat party doesn't have all the answers, and is willing to take the lead on a Republican idea and make it her own. All for the benefit of our country.

What other politician is willing to do the same? Senator McConnell, are you paying attention? America hopes you are, for our sake. Otherwise, you will have proven that you are nothing but a lot of hot air, just like your counterpart, Senator Reid. 

Thank you, Senator Boxer. On this issue at least, you have proven that you are a great American.