In an article published today by Geoffrey Skelly, Professor Frances Lee predicts a less-heated debate in Congress over raising the debt ceiling.

“I don’t think the Republican Party is as unified now as it was in 2011 on putting the brakes on spending,” Lee said. “I see this is much more of a problem of them figuring out how they’re going to negotiate rather than the unstoppable force meets the immovable object that we saw in 2011.”

Lee also says that we should expect that any decision will most likely be delayed as long as possible.

“That’s so normal for Congress to not do a deal before you absolutely have to,” said Lee. “There’s bargaining leverage all the way up until the last minute, in fact. That’s part of what incentivizes the brinkmanship.” 

Lee is an Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton and the Co-Director of CSDP at Princeton.