The Debt Ceiling Showdown

Apparently Harry Reid thinks it's a good thing that the tax deal doesn't include an increase in the debt ceiling. I think Reid's dead wrong about that. Already we see Bob Corker "hoping to assemble a bloc of senators who will demand tax and spending reforms" and I'm guessing that zero percent of the people he gathers will see any contradiction between voting in favor of a huge increase in debt and being reluctant to authorize an increase in the debt ceiling.

But my advice to progressives who don't like the tax deal would be make sure they do some hostage-taking of their own on the debt ceiling. You don't want a scenario in which the narrative is about how "Corker and blah blah" are reluctant to vote yes.