Yes, the GOP is attempting a coup, exploiting in extortion and all the things pointed out in many diaries. But the real question is why? The actions are harming their electoral chances, hurting their relationship with the press (who are finally starting to ask harder questions). To what point? The GOP appears in disarray and it is not clear what they want as they have given up on "Obamacare."
Don't believe it! The GOP is unfortunately a master of machiavellian tactics and I simply do not believe they do not have a plan. So why aren't they telling us about this plan in their demands? Because the plan is to force the president to do something unusual to avoid a federal default and then use this action as grounds for impeachment.
Crazy you say? Ask yourself who is driving the GOP policy (answer: the tea party) and then ask yourself what they want more than anything (answer: to remove the Kenyan interloper from office). Attacking Obamacare is very popular among the tea party but this pales to what impeachment hearings would produce. Even if the Senate does not go along, an impeached President is tainted and that is something the tea party would be thrilled with.
Not convinced? I lay it out in more detail below the fold.
At first, I thought the impeachment idea was unrealistic as the country would see it as politically motivated and so it would go nowhere. However, the impending default on the debt is a "trigger event" that will require either (i) legislation by Congress, (ii) a declaration by President Obama that the debt ceiling is unconstitutional under the 14t h amendment, (iii) minting the platinum coin (for 1 trillion), or (iv) defaulting on U.S. debt.
Ask yourself which on this list is likely to occur given the GOP's position. Legislation is unlikely now because the tea party will not let Boehner call a vote unless they get "something". Obama says he will not give in to extortion, so we have a stalemate. Yes, it is possible that moderates may sign a discharge petition, but this will probably not happen until we are in serious trouble economically.
If you are the GOP and you are already playing chicken, ask yourself, what would Obama do if faced with default of the federal debt? The answer is that he will most likely be the grown-up in the room and take either the 14th amendment or the coin as the solution. To do otherwise would be to default on the US debt when there are very strong arguments that the debt ceiling is unconstitutional. Would Obama really do this? I personally do not think so and, given his history of capitulating, I do not think the GOP thinks so either. Accordingly, if pushed to the brink, I think the most likely answer is that Obama will choose to ignore the debt limit.
Which brings me back to the tea party. How would the country react to the President ignoring the debt limit? I asked my wife and she thought either the 14th Amendment or the coin sounded fishy. And I think that will be a common reaction. Hence, impeachment proceedings against the president for violating the debt ceiling will commence immediately. This will please the tea party to no end as it fits their narrative that Obama is out of control in spending and borrowing.
So the bottom line is that the GOP can force Obama to act to save the country and get a plausible impeachment out of it. And what do they have to do to have this happen? Absolutely nothing. Just sit there and make random statements about things without any clear direction and let time pass. After two more weeks of "GOP dissarray", the president will be forced to act and the tea party will get what they want more than anything: a direct attack on the legitimacy of the Obama presidency.
Sadly, once I run through this scenario, it all makes sense. The GOP has a plan which is to run out the clock and force President Obama to save us all. Then they will impeach him (which will fail in the senate but who cares, it still puts a mark on President Obama).