To the surprise of few, Congress’ super committee is on the brink of failure–unable to agree on $1.2 trillion in budget savings as required by last summer’s debt limit deal. But the panel was doomed from the start. Here are five reasons why: The parties could not bridge their theological differences. Mainstream Democrats believe government should play an important role in the [...]

Let me see if I have this right: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has effectively embraced the debt limit plan first offered months ago by President Obama. Under the McConnell/Obama scenario, Congress would extend the government’s borrowing authority through next year without agreeing to a dime’s worth of spending reductions or tax increases. As [...]