Congressional Republicans eventually caved and allowed a vote to increase the debt ceiling, but they would still like to voice their disapproval of it and they will make their voice heard today by voting to scold President Obama for choosing not to default.
In the House, that resolution is H.J.Res. 99. GOP leaders will call it up, and it may well pass. In early 2012 under a similar process, the House passed a resolution disapproving of Obama’s decision to raise the debt ceiling by a 239-176 vote.
But a successful House vote won’t mean much if the Senate doesn’t pass its own version. Tuesday afternoon, the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed to the Senate resolution, S.J.Res. 26.
Obviously, Senate Democrats are not going to pass a resolution to scold the president for choosing not to default on the nation’s debt, meaning the House vote will be a symbolic gesture of approval for a symbolic resolution. A resolution that says we would have preferred default.
But this is not a Monkey Court.