Political Brinksmanship and the Debt Limit
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David Brooks, the New York Times' conservative columnist shocked Washington this week by saying that Republicans may not be "fit to govern." Will they drive the country into default? Has the President run out of concessions or, as he said yesterday, is this an "opportunity to do something big?" Also, terror suspect Ahmed Warsame is in New York for a civilian trial, and lessons from the Casey Anthony trial about the justice system and the deaths of children.
Banner image: David Brooks speaks at the launch of the unaffiliated political organization known as No Labels, a group that looks to find solutions to problems by getting politicians to put aside their partisan behavior in order to find common ground.The New York Times journalist shocked Washington this week by criticizing Republicans on their handling of the debt limit. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images.
Making News
Terror Suspect in New York for Civilian Trial ()
Republicans may be outraged, but the Obama Justice Department will try a suspected terrorist in a civilian court in New York City. Ahmed Warsame is a Somali militant, captured at sea in April and interrogated for months on a Navy vessel before he was read his Miranda rights. Keith Johnson reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Guests:
- Keith Johnson: Wall Street Journal
Main Topic
The Debt Limit and Economic Brinksmanship ()
With the first default in US government history predicted for August 2, President Obama has rejected any short-term fix. Tomorrow, he's invited the top two Democratic and Republican leaders of both parties to visit the White House "to do something big." Treasury Secretary Geithner says default would mean economic catastrophe. Speaker John Boehner says Obama doesn't understand "economic and legislative reality," but will show up at the White House tomorrow. "Legislative reality" could mean that Boehner can't control his own Republican members, many of whom deny that default will have dire consequences and see it as an opportunity to force massive spending cuts, even if the government has to shut down. Should the President be happy to get even a short-term fix? Has he already made so many concessions that Republicans could claim victory?
Guests:
- Susan Davis: National Journal
- Bruce Bartlett: Fiscal Times
- James Pethokoukis: Reuters BreakingViews, @jimpethokoukis
- Mark Weisbrot: Center for Economic and Policy Research, @markweisbrot
- Garrett Epps: University of Baltimore School of Law
Links:
- David Brooks on Republicans and the debt limit
- Davis on the debt debacle and the freshman class
- Bartlett on the debt limit option that Obama can use
- Pethokoukis on how Obama might have made the economy worse
- Center for Economic and Policy Research on the national debt, deficits and the dollar
- Epps on the Constitution and danger of default
Reporter's Notebook
Casey Anthony and 'Child Cases' ()
TV pundits and millions of viewers were stunned when Casey Anthony was acquitted of killing her two-year old daughter. But the realities of criminal justice are a long way from such gritty productions as CSI. Juries must find defendants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and, especially in the killing of children, that certainty can be hard to come by. Caylee Anthony's body was found six months after she died. The defense presented expert testimony that contradicted prosecution arguments and raised questions about circumstantial evidence. A.C. Thompson, with ProPublica, was lead reporter in Child Cases, a series that aired last week on NPR and Frontline.
Guests:
- A.C. Thompson: ProPublica
Links:
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