So far Missouri House members Todd Akin (R-2) and Billy Long (R-7) have gone on record with statements to the effect that allowing the United States to default on its obligations would be just jim dandy, wouldn’t do any damage at all, no sir! Of course, this is absolutely, demonstrably not the case.

So why do we care what these insane idiots think? We care because right now, by virtue of their position as part of a GOP majority in the House, they are ready to help their radical GOP colleagues trash the economy and make all our lives much harsher.

Steve Benen describes the current options when it comes to the debt ceiling impasse:

The House could (a) simply refuse to do their duty and cause a disaster on purpose; (b) learn to live with a compromise that raises revenues; or (c) grudgingly accept the McConnell/Reid plan.

As Bennen further points out, (a) is unacceptable and (b), given the current GOP insanity, is likely to be impossible, which leaves the third option, (c), as our only way out of this nasty imbroglio.

And dopes like Akin and Long  are poised to play an important role in determining what happens. According to the WaPo‘s Greg Sargent:

Late yesterday GOP Rep. Joe Walsh, who is backed by the Tea Party, began circulating a letter among GOP colleagues that urges GOP leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor to publicly oppose the McConnell plan and even to oppose it coming to the floor for a vote.

A Senate Republican aide tells me that GOP aides will be closely watching the number of signatures it amasses in order to gauge whether the McConnell proposal can get through the House.

If more than 100 House members sign Walsh’s letter, goodbye McConnell/Reid compromise; if it gets no more than 50 signatures, then we may have a winner that can save the credibility of the United States and avoid catastrophe (or as the President puts it, Armageddon).

I don’t know about you, but I’m emailing and phoning Todd Akin, who, sadly, happens to be my congressional representative, in order to let him know that when things go crash, we’ll know just who to hold responsible and there are lots of voices willing to make that case as publicly as possible for as long as possible. I know it’s not likely, given Akin’s proclivities, but just maybe he’ll think twice before signing on to Walsh’s idiocy.