Eugene Robinson: "A hold-your-nose debt deal"

Eugene Robinson:

It’s supremely galling. It’s unbalanced, unfair and mostly unwise. For President Obama and the Democratic Party, it’s a comprehensive defeat. But it’s not the end of the world.

The deal struck Sunday to free the U.S. economy from its Republican hostage-takers is impossible for progressives to love. It gets all the big things wrong, starting with the most fundamental: Obama never should have acquiesced to linking a routine hike in the debt ceiling — necessary to pay bills Congress has already incurred — with all the difficult spending questions that should be dealt with in the budget process. MORE...

Howie P.S.: Greg Sargent

"As many observers have noted already, Democrats have effectively given up on trying to make the case for further government spending. The result has been bipartisan agreement to marginalize that argument to the point where it’s entirely vanished from the conversation. It’s only in this context... that the deal ...makes any sense." MORE@the link.

Jay Inslee

"...don’t like debt deal, but I’m for it."

John Aravosis (AMERICAblog)

We keep being told that the Obama administration endorsed the GOP talking points on the deficit, and gave away the farm in negotiations with the Republicans on the debt ceiling, as part of a strategic play to win independents come the next election. Only problem? Independents care more about jobs, which aren't being addressed, and which will be hurt by the President's budget deal.