Have Republicans Shut Down Their Brains?

I've been trying to write about what's happening with the debt ceiling for hours, but every time I do, something new happens, and I have to start over. This morning the proposal on the table from Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell was to reopen the government ... but only until Jan. 15, because the Democrats hope that before then they'll be able to renegotiate the hated sequestration spending cuts, which are scheduled to take place shortly thereafter. It would raise the debt ceiling until Feb. 7, because the Republicans apparently want to have another theatrical negotiation in three months -- sort of an early Valentine's Day gift to the nation. There would be increased scrutiny of subsidy eligibility for health insurance. And the deal would delay for one year the reinsurance fees that health insurers pay in exchange for help defraying their costs if they end up with too many old and sick people in their pool.

Later in the day, it came out that the House Republicans had their own plan, which was the same in the first three elements, but pushed back the tax on manufacturers of medical devices for two years, instead of delaying the reinsurance fees for one. Republicans also wanted to get rid of insurance subsidies for members of Congress, the president, the vice president and the cabinet. At least give them this: The deal will cost them thousands of dollars a year, which they're willing to spend in order to make a statement. Or sort of willing; it later emerged that House Speaker John Boehner might not have the votes for his own proposal.