Why is the White House asking to raise the debt limit now? In the text of the Budget Control Act of 2011, aka the debt limit deal, you see that Title III sets up the “Debt Limit Disapproval Process.” This sets the rules for when the President needs to ask for an increase in the debt limit, and the Rube Goldberg-like process for how Congress can “disapprove” of it without really stopping it.

I think Republicans are showing themselves sensitive to criticism over hostage-taking, at least in the short term. It did damage to their party in the debt limit debate, and they’re wary of jumping into another fight of a similar ilk. The next hurdles to clear will be 2012 appropriations and surface transportation funding, both of which expire September 30.

Now, I cannot name for you one single solitary member of Congress who lost his or her seat because they voted to increase the debt limit. So McConnell may consider this tactically brilliant, but Democrats would be fine to call his bluff. What’s more, it would keep alive the many charges they could level at Republicans in 2012, like voting to end Medicare. The way I think it’s structured, you wouldn’t even necessarily need the aforementioned Tester and Nelson and McCaskill and Manchin to vote to uphold the Presidential veto; you’d just need 34 Democrats.

The filibuster is essentially a dead procedural instrument walking. Democrats want to rein in its abuse, and Republicans want to use alternative legislative means like the Congressional Review Act that avoid a filibuster. It’s a matter of time before one side or the other bites the bullet and does away with it.