What if in the end, the infamous fiscal cliff is averted by a simple, easy, of-course-why-didn't-I-think-about-this way: a vote to raise the debt ceiling?
Lest we forget, this whole sequestration and hostage taking of the government expenditures to the tune of 1.2 trillion is all because the House of Republicans refused to do what has been done countless times in bipartisan fashion: raising the debt ceiling.
Could we hope for more from Obama, if Rs hold onto the house, than ANOTHER vote to just push the Bush tax cuts another period of time, let someone else deal with it, take the deal while he can get it?
Maybe not doing a dime to the non-defense sequestration, and hopefully getting SOME out of the military side, and in return, getting a simple vote on the debt?
Obama will be into legislative mode when he begins his next term, and whatever Congress is around in 2013 will probably be approached by a big everybody get up and do ten jumping jacks, followed by ok lets cut a deal on debt reduction. Whatever he will do for taxes in the lame duck session, will almost invariably affect what he brings to the table to the next Congress. It's going to happen, it's just a matter of time.
Could a dejected House, barely holding its thin margin for January, be coaxed into the most mundane vote ever invented?
If the House loses control of power, what incentive do they have for ANY deal during the lame duck? Literally go out the way they came in, the do-nothing Congress. It's not hard to imagine the House not lifting a finger and sending us off the fiscal cliff as a final fuck you parting shot to a victorious Obama. I've seen worse.
Game out this lame duck session with the results of the election, and at the end of the day, the show-up-to-ring-the-bell vote could be all we see.