McConnell's debt ceiling tightrope


Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is getting it on all sides for his latest debt ceiling maneuver, a temporary fix to avoid the Treasury Department's Oct. 18 deadline for hitting the borrowing limit. (All 50 Democrats and 11 Republicans in the Senate took that deal Thursday night.) Liberals still view the Kentucky Republican as a hostage-taker, jeopardizing the country's credit rating to score political points ahead of the midterm elections. Conservatives and former President Donald Trump have slammed him for caving, granting a short-term debt limit solution with no concrete trades from Democrats.
McConnell's triangulation here is more clever than either set of critics admits. He's a savvy political operator who got his only spending concessions from the Obama administration through debt ceiling brinkmanship a decade ago. But he also saw his fiscal responsibility — which, as with many Republicans, seems selective, as deficits and debt only are treated as urgent matters when Democrats hold power — painted as irresponsible when the risk of default loomed. In one such episode in 2011, the uncertainty led Standard & Poor's to downgrade the federal government's credit rating.
McConnell's middle-way maneuvering makes more sense in that context. The idea behind this current bit of Bill Clinton-style triangulation is to position Republicans as anti-debt but not pro-default. It comes as the White House is pushing back with furious counter-messaging about GOP spending under Trump being the real reason we've hit the debt ceiling in the first place, even if Democrats are trying to pass massive new spending proposals.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But there's a risk of being too clever. Like most leadership types, McConnell isn't really trusted by either side of the political divide. While inside the Beltway, the nickname "Cocaine Mitch" has turned into a badge of honor, liberals deem him ruthless, and conservatives largely view him as an establishment operator. Odds are there will be some last-minute solution to this debt crisis, but he should take care to ensure it.
McConnell wants Democrats to own the debt without Republicans owning any chance of default. Only time will tell whether that strategy turns out to be a self-own.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
W. James Antle III is the politics editor of the Washington Examiner, the former editor of The American Conservative, and author of Devouring Freedom: Can Big Government Ever Be Stopped?.
-
How will the new tax deductions on auto loans work?
the explainer Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a tax deduction on auto loan interest — but eligibility for the tax break is limited
-
Is Trump actually going to prosecute Obama for 'treason'?
Today's Big Question Or is this just a distraction from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal?
-
5 best movie sequels of all time
The Week Recommends The second time is only sometimes as good as the first
-
Gavin Newsom mulls California redistricting to counter Texas gerrymandering
TALKING POINTS A controversial plan has become a major flashpoint among Democrats struggling for traction in the Trump era
-
Can Texas redistricting save the US House for the GOP?
Today's Big Question Trump pushes a 'ruthless' new plan, but it could backfire
-
'No one should be surprised by this cynical strategy'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
The Supreme Court and Congress have Planned Parenthood in their crosshairs
Talking Points Trump's budget bill and the court's ruling threaten abortion access
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?
Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Is Trump sidelining Congress' war powers?
Today's Big Question The Iran attack renews a long-running debate