{"id":5114,"date":"2011-08-06T04:00:38","date_gmt":"2011-08-06T11:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=5114"},"modified":"2011-08-07T14:56:27","modified_gmt":"2011-08-07T21:56:27","slug":"sp-downgrades-united-states-congress-thank-you-tea-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=5114","title":{"rendered":"S&P Downgrades United States Congress: Thank You Tea Party"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Standard & Poor’s on Friday downgraded the United States Congress. You may have heard media reports that it was the country’s credit rating that was downgraded, but the statement issued by the S&P<\/a> is unambiguous with regard to their reasons for the downgrade and whom they hold responsible:<\/p>\n

[T]he downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions<\/strong> have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges […] The political brinksmanship<\/strong> of recent months highlights what we see as America’s governance and policymaking<\/strong> becoming less stable, less effective, and less predictable than what we previously believed. The statutory debt ceiling and the threat of default have become political bargaining chips<\/strong> in the debate over fiscal policy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To be sure, the S&P threw in a few references to the outstanding debt and the inadequacy of the remedies contained in last week’s legislation, but their persistent focus on political failings was inescapable. Notwithstanding the challenge from the White House that their math was “fundamentally flawed,”<\/em> the S&P proceeded with the downgrade because the math isn’t the main driver of their analysis. They made plain that the primary reason for their decision was the bad behavior of the political players and that it is Congress who deserves the downgrade.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, the American people agree. A new poll<\/a> from the New York Times\/CBS News shows the disapproval rating for Congress at 82%. Breaking that down further reveals bad news for Republicans who were dominated by their tiny Tea Party flank:<\/p>\n