Now House Republicans Must Fight The Gang of 6's Gangrene Plan

By Erick Erickson | 5:00 AM on July 20, 2011

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Think of the Senate “Gang of 6” Plan as the “Gangrene Plan.” It will slowly, but surely, rot away the nation. It was presented yesterday with a few claims:(1) It was not designed to play a role in the debt ceiling debate;(2) It was not meant to undercut the House Republicans’ “Cut, Cap, and Balance” plan; and,(3) It would not be a tax increase.The reality is the opposite of each of those statements. The Gang of 6 plan is intended to play a role in the debt ceiling debate by giving the McConnell-Reid-Pelosi Pontius Pilate Act more life to get passed until the Gangrene Plan can take affect.They rushed the plan out the door with a coordinating statement of support from the White House to try to stop the momentum toward the Cut, Cap, and Balance Plan.And they did this all while trying to provide cover for massive, massive tax increases. And the pathetic irony is that while the President wants to use it to give cover to a $2 trillion debt increase this year, the Gangrene Plan would cut only $3.5 trillion in debt over ten years. In other words, the Democrats would foist on us $2 trillion in debt today in exchange for cutting the budget by $3.5 trillion in ten years — assuming Congress and the President agree to all the cut recommendations and excluding interest on the national debt.The Gangrene Plan was to no avail. The House Republicans, joined by five Democrats, passed Cut, Cap, and Balance last night. The House GOP showed it is in favor of raising the debt ceiling, but only if spending is cut, future spending is capped, and the budget is balanced.The Senate GOP is furious. They have been undermined. The House GOP stood up for principle.What’s going to happen now is the Senate will tell the House that its plan cannot pass. House Republicans must now continue to hold the freaking line. They must not waiver. They must understand that now that their plan is passed and that it allows the debt ceiling to be raised, the House GOP’s hand strengthens every day closer to August 2nd. And if this debacle goes past August 2nd, the House GOP is in charge as long as it holds the freaking line.As for Mitch McConnell? In addition to his plan being a nonstarter, conservatives have gone to war with him personally. Here is a new ad that is about to launch against McConnell in a full on assault against his Pontius Pilate Plan.