Less than six months after the federal government in D.C. shut its doors for 16 days, the nation is less than 20 days from the possibility of a second shutdown becoming a reality.
According to Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew, the U.S. borrowing limit must be raised by Feb. 27, 2014 to avoid another shutdown, which could virtually be a replay of October 2013. From Federal workers out of work to National Parks and museums closed, it was a tremulous 16 days throughout the nation and especially in D.C. Americans are still feeling the effects of the October 2013 shutdown: the IRS delayed the acceptance of income tax returns until Jan. 31 due to the delayed implementation of tax laws.
Here are the facts: Congress recesses on Feb. 12 until Feb 25, leaving only 2 days before the borrowing limit expires.
As GOP leaders were scheduled to meet Monday evening, undoubtedly one thing in the back of their minds has to be the punch the entire party took post-2013 Shutdown. In an Oct. 22, 2013 USA Today/Princeton Survey Research Poll, although 54% of those surveyed blame both Republicans and Democrats for the shutdown, 29% point their fingers at the Republican Party, while only 12% see the Democrats to be at fault. With only a little over 1,000 days before Election Day 2016 (as well as the quickly approaching midterm elections), GOP leaders will want to be mindful of the repercussions they faced after the previous shutdown.
House Speaker John Boehner is determined to get something out of the bill for agreeing to raise the debt ceiling, but House and Senate Democrats (and the White House) are insistent on a clean debt limit bill, with no strings attached. In order for a bill to pass the House, Speaker Boehner will need bipartisan support. And if history is any judge, there could be more disagreement within GOP party lines than with their friends across the aisle: the ultra-conservative faction that vehemently opposes raising the debt ceiling is the wildcard in this debate. It becomes a question of the times for the GOP: cater to the extreme right-wing or work for a bipartisan compromise. Ultimately, this is the issue that faces the GOP for Election Day 2016 and beyond.
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