Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Stand Firm on the Debt Ceiling


The current war cry from the left is that it is irresponsible to not raise the debt ceiling, that it would cause the US to default on its debt, cause the US credit rating to be downgraded, cause public employees to miss paychecks, maybe even stop payments to Social Security and Medicare. Dire straits. There may be some merit to those claims.

However, the man leading the fight against compromise, the man determined to veto Cut, Cap and Amend, Barrack Obama, voted against raising the debt limit in 2006 when he was Senator.

From Sen. Obama’s Floor Speech, March 20, 2006:

The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.

At the time, Senator Obama was urging Congress not to tolerate an increase that would bring the debt ceiling to $9 trillion. Under President Obama, the debt ceiling has been raised to $14.3 trillion. Even without counting most unfunded liabilities, the national debt is now calculated to be nearing $14.1 trillion. It increases about $4.22 billion per day (each citizen’s share stands at roughly $45K). Thus, Democrats will soon demand that the debt ceiling be raised, lest the sky fall. When they do, they will be asking for a significant boost in a ceiling that is already 60 percent higher than the one Barack Obama said was “a sign of leadership failure” five years ago.

To paraphrase Ohio Joe, the Senate republican leadership needs to grow a pair, go on the airwaves, and lay all the blame for this impending disaster squarely where it belongs, in Barrack Obama's lap. If all these prophecied woes come to pass, it is his fault.

Fight gosh dangit!

5 comments:

Ohio JOE said...

Thanks Dan L for promoting some fiscal sanity. Yes, growing a pair takes courage, but it needs to be done. In fact, we are in such a fine kettle of fish that they need to grow until other parts of their body ache.

hamaca said...

One reason executive experience is so important is because you can have the best intentions in the world, but if you're incompetent or inexperienced at actually leading and making decisions, you'll be flat-footing, easily duped by "experts", and a deer in the headlights.

This is a prime example. You have to have the principles as well as the management capabilities to get things done. Making pretty speeches is a worlds different than actually doing and achieving.

This is why Bachmann cannot get close to either part of the GOP ticket and why I'd take Sarah, TPaw, and those with executive experience over those without.

Right Wingnut said...

Great post, Dan.

I'm a little upset that my congesswoman voted against cap, cut and spend.

Right Wingnut said...

LOL

I meant, cap, cut, and balance.

Anonymous said...

I love Obama with the leaves around his head! LOL.

The Republicans really do need to go on record demanding the Democrat plan for the budget. So far, the press only demands the Repubs offer a budget, then they criticize it. Obama and his people haven't offered a budget. In fact, they didn't pass a budget for 2011 and forced the Repubs to do it for them. This is machiavellian tactics at their worst. Unfortunately, the American "free" press somehow can't stumble their way into asking questions like, "Why don't the Democrats have a plan to work on the deficit?"

AZ