Debt Debate in Congress

[Gaspar]

Obama wasn't absent during the meeting you referred to either. When republican house members walk out on budget meetings, then call their own, Obama shouldn't be expected to attend their meeting.

And no, Boehner was not at the meeting with other members of Congress either.

Why don't you find something important policy to write about instead of continually complaining about Obama playing golf? You have written at least five times about his golf. You seem obsessed.

Perhaps you are right.  I guess I have golf envy. 

It was kind of funny though, going back through those ads against Bohner.  The democrats were trying to establish that playing golf every week was a disconnect from the American people. 

I remember when President Obama was elected, and took up golf, the media used to tear him up for his poor swing.  Now it seems with plenty of practice he can hold his own in a group with Bohner.  Perhaps he is simply using the game, as many executives do, as a means of relationship building with co-workers, and associates.

Either way, I don't see it as a disconnect with the American people,  on the contrary, I think many of us would rather be out playing golf than just sitting around the office dealing with problems.

I'll try not to mention it again.

[RecycleMichael]

I think we should all play golf together.

The TulsaNow Open.

[Gaspar]

I think we should all play golf together.

The TulsaNow Open.

Not a bad idea!

Why not make it a benefit, and sell some sponsorships?

[guido911]

Do you mean the meetings the republicans walked out of last week? The same meetings hosted by the Vice-President?

After what we saw from Wisconsin and Indiana democrats packing up their things and actually moving to another state to avoid doing their jobs, I'd watch the hypocrite crap. And let's not forget that Obama voted against raising the debt ceiling while he was a part-time senator for political reasons.

[Gaspar]

. . . And let's not forget that Obama voted against raising the debt ceiling while he was a part-time senator for political reasons.

Apparently President Obama's strongest critic is now Senator Obama.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/on-debt-and-libya-its-president-obama-vs-senator-obama/2011/06/22/AGhK4AjH_story.html

[Cats Cats Cats]

Apparently President Obama's strongest critic is now Senator Obama.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/on-debt-and-libya-its-president-obama-vs-senator-obama/2011/06/22/AGhK4AjH_story.html

And he voted against raising the debt ceiling too.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/14/obama-debt-ceiling-raised_n_876607.html

[Gaspar]

And he voted against raising the debt ceiling too.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/14/obama-debt-ceiling-raised_n_876607.html

"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. . .

Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America's priorities."

Senator Barack Obama
Senate Floor Speech on Public Debt
March 16, 2006

[Cats Cats Cats]

"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. . .

Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America's priorities."

Senator Barack Obama
Senate Floor Speech on Public Debt
March 16, 2006

Well I think a large portion of the "leadership failure" comment is based on the fact they started with a surplus (surplus = no increase in debt = no need to increase the debt ceiling).  After Bush it was just a matter of when the debt ceiling would need to be raised again.  I think it probably is sooner than expected (which would be your argument).

And he voted against raising the debt ceiling too.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jun/14/michele-bachmann/bachmann-said-obama-voted-against-debt-limit-when-/

[RecycleMichael]

Let us not forget that the republican members of Congress voted to raise the debt limit five times in his eight years. This is after inheriting a budget surplus from Clinton.

Obama inherited a mess, but of course, now he won't have the options given freely from republican to republican.

At the beginning of the Bush presidency, the United States debt limit was $5.95 trillion. Bush increased the debt to $9.815 trillion by the end of his term, with plenty of help from the four Republicans currently holding Congressional leadership positions: Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl. ThinkProgress compiled a breakdown of the five debt limit increases that took place during the Bush presidency and how the four Republican leaders voted:

June 2002: Congress approves a $450 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $6.4 trillion. McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor vote "yea", Kyl votes "nay."

May 2003: Congress approves a $900 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $7.384 trillion. All four approve.

November 2004: Congress approves an $800 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $8.1 trillion. All four approve.

March 2006: Congress approves a $781 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $8.965 trillion. All four approve.

September 2007: Congress approves an $850 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $9.815 trillion. All four approve.

Hypocrisy goes both ways...

[Conan71]

Let us not forget that the republican members of Congress voted to raise the debt limit five times in his eight years. This is after inheriting a budget surplus from Clinton.

Obama inherited a mess, but of course, now he won't have the options given freely from republican to republican.

At the beginning of the Bush presidency, the United States debt limit was $5.95 trillion. Bush increased the debt to $9.815 trillion by the end of his term, with plenty of help from the four Republicans currently holding Congressional leadership positions: Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl. ThinkProgress compiled a breakdown of the five debt limit increases that took place during the Bush presidency and how the four Republican leaders voted:

June 2002: Congress approves a $450 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $6.4 trillion. McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor vote "yea", Kyl votes "nay."

May 2003: Congress approves a $900 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $7.384 trillion. All four approve.

November 2004: Congress approves an $800 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $8.1 trillion. All four approve.

March 2006: Congress approves a $781 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $8.965 trillion. All four approve.

September 2007: Congress approves an $850 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $9.815 trillion. All four approve.

Hypocrisy goes both ways...

So they raised it just under $4 trillion over eight years, right?

Under President Obama, it's already gone up by just under $5 trillion in just 2.5 years. 

It's like saying: "Well you were irresponsible with the budget before, so why can't I even be more irresponsible with it?"  (Or as President Bush would have said "be irresponsibler with it")

[Cats Cats Cats]

So they raised it just under $4 trillion over eight years, right?

Under President Obama, it's already gone up by just under $5 trillion in just 2.5 years. 

It's like saying: "Well you were irresponsible with the budget before, so why can't I even be more irresponsible with it?"  (Or as President Bush would have said "be irresponsibler with it")

Yes, but again.. It took Bush 8 years to get from a surplus to a trillion dollar defecit.

[RecycleMichael]

So your response is "they did it more than we did"? They routinely raised it over and over and Obama waits and does it all at once. Your point is that the difference is size?


Funny, that isn't what I hear republican leaders saying...they say it is at an impasse because the democrats don't want to cut Medicare, Medicade and education.

[Gaspar]

So your response is "they did it more than we did"? They routinely raised it over and over and Obama waits and does it all at once. Your point is that the difference is size?


Funny, that isn't what I hear republican leaders saying...they say it is at an impasse because the democrats don't want to cut Medicare, Medicade and education.

No, the impasse is exactly what Bohner said it is.  Republicans will not entertain any bill that includes raising taxes on small business.

All cuts are on the table, just no tax increases in this economy.

[Conan71]

So your response is "they did it more than we did"? They routinely raised it over and over and Obama waits and does it all at once. Your point is that the difference is size?


Funny, that isn't what I hear republican leaders saying...they say it is at an impasse because the democrats don't want to cut Medicare, Medicade and education.

All at once?  They've already raised it close to $5 trillion.

Again, the point is, if Bush was such a poor model to follow fiscally, why are we still repeating and trebling his mistakes??

That's all I'm saying.  President Obama keeps campaigning against Bush but I honestly can't see much of a difference in their failed fiscal policies.

[RecycleMichael]

Of course not. Why would you want business to pay any more? Just take away from kids and the elderly.

If you are serious about reducing debt ( or as you put it... the continued solvency of the nation), I would think that cutting expenses as well as raising revenue would be considered.

It is all a game to attack the President. A game.