They don't have as big a microphone as the president, but that's no excuse for why the president now has the upper hand in the debt ceiling debate. The president has left his party in the dust, taking the fight to the Republicans and has presented them with a Hobson's Choice. Wall Street Journal: The reality is that Mr. Obama is trying to present Republicans with a Hobson's choice: Either repudiate their campaign pledge by raising taxes, or take the blame for any economic turmoil and government shutdown as the U.S. nears a debt default. In the former case Mr. Obama takes the tax issue off the table and demoralizes the tea party for 2012, and in the latter he makes Republicans share the blame for 9.2% unemployment. This is the political context in which to understand Mr. McConnell's proposal yesterday to force Mr. Obama to take ownership of any debt-limit increase. If the President still insists on a tax increase, then Republicans will walk away from the talks. Mr. McConnell would...(Read Full Post)