Republicans in disarray: Is the GOP losing the debt ceiling fight?

The party has been hobbled by internal defections and increasingly hostile public opinion

Sen. Lisa Murkowski
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

It wasn't so long ago that the Republican Party enjoyed a reputation as a disciplined political machine that enacted its agenda with the efficiency of a scalpel, dividing hapless Democrats on issues ranging from tax cuts to gun control. Operating under the 11th Commandment ("Thou shalt not speak ill of any Republican"), the GOP could sit back and enjoy the spectacle of an opponent scattered by discord and narrow self-interest, giving birth to the oft-used headline "Democrats in Disarray."

But as the two parties approach a showdown over the debt ceiling, it appears the tables have turned. At first, Republicans emerged from the fight over the Bush tax cuts united under a single banner: They would not agree to lift the debt ceiling unless it was accompanied by spending cuts, and spending cuts alone. But this week, two moderate GOP senators — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine — came out publicly against the party line, arguing that the debt ceiling is far too important for the economy's health to be used as leverage in a budget battle. Their remarks echoed what President Obama said in a press conference earlier this week: "The full faith and credit of the United States economy is not a bargaining chip."

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Ryu Spaeth

Ryu Spaeth is deputy editor at TheWeek.com. Follow him on Twitter.