From CNBC’s John Carney:

I just got off the phone with a source on Capitol Hill who has spent the past few days trying to convince Republicans to vote for a debt ceiling hike.

He told me that the biggest obstacle he faces has been “market complacency.”

“Frankly, a bit of panic would be very helpful right now,” he said.

As he explained it, lots of people in Washington, DC expected that this would be a week marked by panic in the markets. Stocks would tank. Bonds would get clobbered. The dollar would do something dramatic. And all of this would help convince reluctant lawmakers that they had to reach a compromise on the debt ceiling.

“Every day we wake up and think that stocks will send a shock up to Capitol Hill. And every day nothing happens,” the source said.

He’s still holding out hope for a panic sell-off at the end of the day.

“It’s the only thing that’s going to bring everyone together on this,” he said.

And isn’t that telling?

The Demorats — and some Republicans! — hope the market tanks, that you and every other citizen of the United States are assaulted, hurt, punished, for failing to completely step aside and allow the debt ceiling to be hiked at will by Leftists and RINOs in DC.

People, let me reiterate: they want you hurt. They want you PUNISHED. They want the country to enter a death spiral. So that they may continue their profligate spending ways unimpeded. And, damn it, it hasn’t happened yet! How terribly inconvenient!

Think about that for a few moments. Does the phrase “torches and pitchforks” come to mind, perchance?

BZ