The house I ended up buying in Dallas was not the only one on which I made an offer. There was another one that I really liked, but it was a bit pricey for me. I made a low-ball offer on the chance that the owners might be desperate. They weren't. Then I made a medium-ball offer, which was also rejected. Finally, because I wanted the house, I offered $500 below the list price. This was more than I wanted to pay, more than I felt I could afford, really, but I figured I'd find a way to make it work.
This offer, too, was rejected. So, I walked away, over $500--pennies, really, compared to the total cost of the house. Nobody wants to feel like they're making all the concessions in a negotiation, and the other side is giving nothing. That's how I felt, so I walked.
From way out here in Dallas, Texas, it looks to me as if the House Republicans are like the homeowners in my example: They're not willing to make any concessions to get a debt deal done.
When you think about it, this is a pretty crazy position for them to be taking. After all, Dems control the Senate and the White House. So who are House Republicans to insist that it's their way or no way?
On the other hand, (pretty much) everyone agrees that a deal MUST get done and therefore WILL get done. By this logic, if the House GOP says, "It's our deal or no deal," they'll get what they want.
I worry, though, about what that means for the future--through 2012, and possibly beyond. At least until the next election, we're going to have divided government. How can the White House, the House, and the Senate work together if the House negotiates in bad faith?
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