"But each party wants [the debt ceiling] increased on its own terms. They don’t agree on budget priorities. Or the morality of using the debt limit as a means to limit the debt. Or what a realistic outcome of negotiations would be. Or what the political consequences of breaching the limit would be."

#RameshPonnuru

The scariest part of the debt ceiling impasse: Washington isn’t scared
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/01/25/debt-ceiling-luck-congress/

#DebtCeiling #uspol
#WashingtonPost

@douginamug I've read that Prof. Singer argues that newborns are also not yet people, and that therefore it is also morally acceptable to kill them. Did that come up in the debate?

*Party of Death*, by #RameshPonnuru , is a good book for making the pro-life case, with particular attention to the US context.

@cjd If you want to understand abortion in the US, I recommend reading *Party of Death* by #RameshPonnuru .

In general, the American public has some pro-life tendencies and some pro-choice tendencies, and furthermore a lot of ignorance about what Roe v. Wade meant [0], so the results of any poll depend very much on what exactly the pollster asked.

[0] For example, many people will expect abortion now to become broadly illegal in the US, whereas in reality states can now decide.

The argument #RameshPonnuru in particular has made is that in a welfare state future generations are necessary to keep the system going. To that end, parents are contributing to the public good at mostly their personal cost, a positive externality which it is just to compensate with public support.

But speaking for myself, if you'd asked me 20 years ago I would have given a #libertarian answer that governments should remove regulations that disincentivise #family formation, and leave the decision to individuals; I have since become convinced that more direct measures to help families would be appropriate, largely because of reading #RameshPonnuru and #RossDouthat , two US conservatives.

#uspol

I should point out as well that child benefits are policies favoured by some Republicans. #RameshPonnuru , a clever fellow who has recently become editor of #NationalReview , has been calling for them for years, and Sen. #MittRomney has recently made a serious proposal: https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney-has-cleverly-laid-out-conservative-case-child-benefit (with endorsements from various #conservatives ).

Conservative #uspol will inevitably have a more #libertarian tendency than #canpol or #ukpol , as the USA was founded on #ClassicalLiberal principles.

Let me explain the significance of that tweet from #AndyMcCarthy . #NationalReview did not give an editorial endorsement to any presidential candidate this year; instead, they published three essays: Trump Yes, Trump No and Trump Maybe. Mr. McCarthy, the author of the first essay, has just conceded that #RameshPonnuru, the author of the second, was correct.

#uspol

@DouthatNYT@mstdn.foxfam.club