Conservatives should support ending the debt ceiling

The debt ceiling is supposed to make Washington accountable for the money it spends. Yet how’s that working out? The nation’s debt stands at $29 trillion.

Some conservatives insist that the debt limit still serves a purpose, if only to “shame” legislators for their fiscal irresponsibility. Because if any class of human beings is susceptible to shame, it’s professional politicians.

Given that the debt limit hasn’t been particularly effective at limiting debt, perhaps conservatives should examine whether it makes political sense to keep it.

With a Democrat in the White House, it’s tempting for Republicans to consider holding up a debt ceiling vote in exchange for concessions on spending (when a Republican is in the White House, borrowing money tends to be less controversial). But in the post-Tea Party era, there’s a growing sense among Republicans that the political dangers of breaching the limit are so unpredictable that the issue can’t be effectively leveraged.