Now while it is true that the McConnell plan in the short term effectively takes spending cuts off the table and bestows near unilateral authority upon Obama to raise the debt ceiling up to three times over the next year, it would be a mistake to view it as an act of surrender. McConnell is not waving a white flag to Obama. On the contrary, he is giving Obama the rope necessary on which to hang his presidency. Just because Obama could be given the authority to thrice raise the debt ceiling over the next twelve months doesn't mean he actually has to do so. But McConnell knows full well that Obama cannot help himself and has never met a government program he thought unworthy of borrowing more money to finance. McConnell is banking that Obama will raise the debt ceiling three times over the next year. And if Obama does so, it will ensure that the President's irresponsible fiscal policy remains in the spotlight through next year's presidential election and all the while Republicans remain free to object to his ways and means.