Over at the New York Times, Jackie Calmes surveys the brinkmanship of debt limit politics.
Accompanying her piece is a lovely reworking by Amanda Cox of my charts showing how Democrats and Republicans have voted in past debt limit showdowns:
I particularly like the horizontal spacing (no missing years). One benefit it that it aligns the Senate votes, House votes, and political control from top to bottom. With just a little effort, readers can see the basic insight: Blue below, Blue above. Red below, Red above. Mixed Blue and Red below, Mixed Blue and Red above. Bottom line: Debt limit votes are a tax on the majority.