Neoliberalism (pro-market ideology) died in 2008, but lives on as a zombie (the strange force that's animating this monster is called "there's no alternative"—even if dead, neoliberalism is the only game in town), and as hostage economics...

Rep. Paul Ryan, the House GOP’s budgetary chieftain, gave a brief but remarkable interview to the Washington Examiner’s David Drucker in which he essentially conceded that Republicans will only negotiate with Democrats over the budget if they can hold the U.S. economy hostage to increase their leverage.

Because cuts on social services (private debt rather than government debt is the real problem) and tax regimes that are favorable to the wealthy (they are not creating jobs with the money the public throws at them) can no longer be defended on ideological grounds, the right has turned to the last available policy tool: hostage economics. It's very simple and proving to be very effective. Expect more cuts and more meanness in the months to come.