By the end of the month, the United States could once again find itself on the brink of financial default. There has been a vote on legislation concerning the debt ceiling tentatively scheduled for Friday.  At that time we’ll see if Republicans repeat the mistake of asking for conditions on the bill.

Similar to last October, House Republicans appear as the only potential obstacle to raising America’s debt ceiling.  Many Republicans want to use the debt ceiling as a ransom to pursue party objectives.  While Democrats are calling for a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling with no conditions, Republicans remain bent on forcing their way to political gains.

In October, they sent the government into shutdown because they refused to raise the debt ceiling unless they were granted certain conditions, such as changes to the Affordable Care Act or the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline project.  The economic effects of the shutdown were hugely significant and could have been avoided if Republicans had not used government debt as a bargaining chip for their own political advances.

The crisis in October ended with the decision to suspend the debt ceiling until Feb. 7. With the shutdown still in the rearview mirror, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has stated that the United States will run out of money to pay its bills on Feb. 27.

To avoid America’s first-ever default, an agreement must be reached between Democrats and Republicans in the next 16 days.  Holding out for conditions seems no more likely to succeed for Republicans this time around. They’re more likely to again delay the decision and force the country closer to default.

The Republican focus has changed since October.  Conditions now being considered include the extension of certain areas of Medicare and the restoration of military pension cuts.  Even so, these conditions still do not warrant risking default for the sake of GOP gains.

In October, the American public rightfully held Republicans responsible for the shutdown and the party’s reputation took a significant hit.  To avoid a similar fate, House Republicans should propose a clean bill similar to the ideas of the Democrats.  Some of the more logical representatives are advocating for this exact action.

Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) is one such representative.  Labrador has historically been a staunch opponent of raising the debt ceiling unconditionally.  Like some of his fellow conservatives, though, he recognizes the necessity of dealing with this issue in a way that will not further tarnish the GOP’s image.

Another Republican supporter of a clean bill is Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho).  Simpson was quoted as saying, “Get it done, get it over with instead of bringing it to the edge.”

The consensus among these Republicans is that by dealing with the debt ceiling quickly and efficiently, the GOP can avoid public disapproval heading into midterm elections.

While tea party conservatives still call for conditions to be added, more and more Republicans see the logic in proposing a clean debt-ceiling bill.  For the first time in several years, House Republicans appear to be learning from past mistakes.

Republicans don’t seem as willing to allow the country to tiptoe on the brink of default as it did in October.  However, if House Speaker John Boehner cannot corral his constituents to agree on a bill both sides will approve, we may face crisis yet again.

Chris Piemonte is a senior political philosophy major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at [email protected].

 

Published on February 11, 2014 at 2:09 am