Possible debt ceiling strategy: Don't filibuster and let the Democrats own it

But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his leadership team are quietly voicing concerns about a filibuster, saying their preferred strategy is to force Democrats to find 51 votes among themselves, so they can be solely responsible for raising the national borrowing limit. Since 60 votes would be needed to overcome a filibuster, at least seven Republicans would have to ultimately back a debt limit hike if the party didn’t want to take the blame for forcing a default on the nation’s creditors – which would badly muddy the political message…

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“Look, I intend to fight the debt ceiling increase and use as many tools in my disposal as I can muster under the circumstances,” Lee told POLITICO Wednesday. “At this point, there are a lot of variables to figure out exactly what the best procedural tool is and what the best way of influencing my colleagues not to do this is. I’m not ruling anything out.”…

It remains to be seen how Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) handles the matter, given that he runs a caucus with a number of Democrats worried about the political backlash of the vote. Some think Reid may even seek a 60-vote threshold to force Republican buy-in on the politically sensitive issue, but a spokesman says those talks have not yet occurred.

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