Politico's reporting that unnamed GOP leaders say the Boehner plan will be their last act on raising the debt ceiling. Quite a bluff, if that's what it is. I think a Boehner/Reid hybrid will end up passing, but I still say a last-minute clean bill is possible, too. We'll see. Here's today's Morning EDition:
TODAY
- House tonight expected to vote on Speaker Boehner's (R-OH) budget cuts.
DEBT CEILING / BUDGET
- Boehner this morning: "It's a zippity-doo-dah day." #Leadership.
- Boehner's plan is picking up GOP support -- which is weird, because it would raise the debt ceiling.
- Boehner is asking the Tea Party to abandon their pledge, in order to pass a bill that won't become law.
- Boehner's also selling his own members a line of crap.
- Analysis: The right wing has already won. (The two parties' plans aren't that different.)
- The Reid plan, though, does offer progressives more to like.
- And Boehner's hold on the speakership seems secure.
- But there are dueling assessments of Boehner's status.
- Did the RSC's open challenge to Boehner backfire to Boehner's benefit?
- Remember when Boehner said he wouldn't strong-arm his members? Good times.
- The White House is pushing for support from some of its constituencies, too.
- Boehner's revised plan would cripple the recovery even worse.
- Tea Party goes after Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for belittling hobbitry.
- Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips goes after the House freshmen turncoats.
- Behold the power of the Tea Party's opposition to the Boehner plan.
- EJ Dionne to Obama: Stop seeking the center, it doesn't exist.
- Some investors already anticipate the buying opportunities a default could create.
- Democrats will have the leverage on their side with the Bush tax cuts (leaving them even less excuse for caving then).
- Unnamed Republicans tell Politico a modified Boehner plan is the last thing the House will pass to avoid default.
- The Democrats' massive slow-motion cave in summary.
- Debt ceiling whip count.
- NOT investing in infrastructure is more expensive than investing in infrastructure.
- The Treasury's bill-payment policy: First come, first served.
- Just like happened with the budget showdown, GOP is using "defeat Obama" to bring Tea Party on board.
- And Treasury is standing by its Aug. 2nd deadline. (Meaning, what? Even if they have money on Aug. 3, they won't pay our bills?)
ECONOMY
- The Tooth Fairy is cutting back.
- Rise in home sales beats expectations.
- Latest data show the economy is losing steam.
JOBS
- Jobless claims fall below key bellwether.
- Poll: Americans see jobs, especially in manufacturing, as priority one, but hear fewer in DC talking about them.
BIG OIL
- Exxon reports 41% increase in quarterly profits. Royal Dutch Shell profits are up 77% from a year ago.
- Pres. Obama will unveil ambitious new mileage standards tomorrow.
TERRORISM
- Planned Parenthood clinic firebombed.
- Number of people DHS has working on right-wing domestic terrorism: One.
- And here's the wisdom the FBI called on to educate its agents about Islam.
IRAQ
- More Americans dying from Iranian-made weapons.
LIBYA
- Western diplomats offer Gaddafi a deal to stay in Libya, but leave power.
RESTORING HONOR
- The ex-wife of Tea Party Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) has spent nine years trying to get him to pay his child support.
- Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) rails against prosecutorial discretion (except when it benefits him).
2012
- ABC News targets campaign materials made not-in-America.
- Most members of Congress see Tea Party waning in 2012.
- Southern Democrats are disappearing, too.
- New ads demonstrate just how worried the GOP is about Medicare.
- Poll shows Gov. Rick Perry's (R-TX) strengths.
MITT ROMNEY
- Romney again accidentally makes the case for Obamanomics.
MICHELE BACHMANN
- Marcus Bachmann's campaign reimbursements raise questions.
- Why might her best buddy not endorse her?
NEWT GINGRICH
- Gingrich gets booed. In Georgia.
(What I'm reading: Greg Sargent's Plum Line, Think Progress, Matt Yglesias, Talking Points Memo, TPMDC, Taegan Goddard's Political Wire, the Washington Monthly, CNN's PoliticalTicker, the National Journal, Ezra Klein, Politico's Playbook and Huddle, Dave Weigel, Wonkette, Firedoglake, the NYT Caucus, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars. What my iPod has me listening to: I'm Not Mysterious by Otis Taylor.)
Follow Senior Producer Jonathan Larsen (@jtlarsen) on Twitter