[The_Reader_David]

Of course, the Senate cannot originate a bill that levies taxes, so they have to come up with a naked debt ceiling rise or a debt ceiling rise and spending-cuts only bill of their own to send to the House, which should then proceed to amend it to include all the cuts in the Senate bill, plus double the difference between it and the just-rejected House bill so that splitting the difference in conference committee gets back the Boehner bill (or at least the level of cuts found in it).

[Fightin Whitey]

Thanks. That’s a great point about the Senate not being able to add taxes.

What about the time frame? In other words, the effort by the Dems to push the new debt ceiling beyond the election?

I suppose they can add a couple trillion to the proposed ceiling—to the proposed ceiling, not to any taxes—and that would get them through next fall, right?

[mrsmith]

No, they amend a revenue bill from the House. Completely.

[don-o]

Of course, the Senate cannot originate a bill that levies taxes

A fact which has been little discussed in my hearing. I like the way you think!