Today's Opinions: Once again, Democrats must be the grown-ups and keep Republicans from causing a global catastrophe

September 21, 2021

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Your morning dose of Post commentary and guest opinions.

By Michael Duffy
Opinions editor-at-large

All too often, Congress plays a dangerous game of chicken with the nation's credit rating. Lawmakers usually dodge financial disaster at the last minute, but only after first doing everything they can not to vote for more public debt.

This year, the vote to raise the debt ceiling is shaping up to be very close, as Democrats try to raise or suspend limits on the government's borrowing power without the votes of any Republicans. So, Post columnist Catherine Rampell is urging Democrats to do their duty, and quickly.

"Time is short," Catherine writes. "The GOP has come close to blowing up the global financial system through a debt default before, and the party has only grown more nihilistic in the years since. Democratic lawmakers must immediately begin the long and politically thankless process necessary to lift the debt limit on their own. If they wait around for Republicans to do the right thing, it could be too late."

(Patrick Semansky/AP)

Once again, Democrats must be the grown-ups and keep Republicans from causing a global catastrophe

Not acting in time on the debt limit could lead to crises here and abroad.

By Catherine Rampell ● Read more »

Republicans' new civic religion: Election denial

When Republicans convince voters to reject democracy, that's everybody's problem.

By Dana Milbank ● Read more »

Two miscarriages of justice reveal a sickening disparity

Two cases. Two very different outcomes. Both wrong.

By Ruth Marcus ● Read more »

Poor Sean Spicer

There are consequences to misleading the country from the White House briefing room. Sean Spicer is now experiencing them.

By Erik Wemple ● Read more »

The only language McConnell understands is power. Act accordingly, Democrats.

Everyone is acting like there will be some terrible political price to pay for raising it. There won't.

By Paul Waldman and Greg Sargent ● Read more »

The goals we've set aren't enough to stave off global warming. It's past time to get real.

Even with the commitments countries have already made, the world is likely to blow past the goals we've set.

By Eugene Robinson ● Read more »

Is same-day voter registration good? Yes. Is it essential? Probably not.

Senate Democrats are making a tactical mistake by including same-day registration in their compromise voting rights bill.

By Edward Foley ● Read more »

Kyrsten Sinema needs to show us what she believes in

Forget about abstract numbers; the time to choose your real priorities has come.

By Paul Waldman ● Read more »

Editorial Cartoons

It didn't take long for the Taliban to show its true colors

The Taliban wastes no time replacing the Women's Affairs Ministry with a ministry for the "propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice" in Afghanistan.

By Ann Telnaes ● Read more »