The other "confidence" game on the debt ceiling

We've heard a lot of hot air from Republicans and their conservative flacks about the need to restore "business confidence," a longtime favorite conservative excuse for not using economic stimulus.

Now the Obama White House is playing a different kind of confidence game, as explained by Hunter in White House spin on debt ceiling deal promises Democrats will be able to stand firm ... next time Daily Kos 08/01/2011:

The White House is basing this entire deal, and agreeing to nearly all of the demands made by the farthest-right conservatives, on the premise that they will stand firm next time on the exact same economic and political points that they were not able to stand firm on this time: it basically renders this whole exercise into a judgement call as to whether you think next time is the charm, when it comes to Democrats having the courage to stand up against difficult, hostage-laden Republican demands.

There is nothing in the last few years that would suggest that to be the case.

Tags: debt ceiling