Boehner’s Mess and Democrats’ Obligations

There is a subtle difference between pledging to be responsible and vowing not to be irresponsible. In the standoff over the federal budget that has shut down the U.S. government, Democrats could stand to do more of the former, and Republicans less of the latter.

Here was Speaker of the House John Boehner last weekend: “I don’t want the United States to default on its debt. But I’m not going to raise the debt limit without a serious conversation about dealing with problems that are driving the debt up. It would be irresponsible of me to do this.”