Republicans still firmly against raising debt ceiling without big cuts

LA Times ^ | 5/29/2011 | Peter Nicholas

[tobyhill]

Two top Republicans said Sunday they oppose raising the nation's debt ceiling without major moves to slash the federal deficit, a stance that suggests the GOP may be heading toward a high-stakes showdown with Democrats as the deadline for congressional action nears.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he is prepared to keep the ceiling in place "unless we do something really significant about debt and deficit.''

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican candidate for president, also challenged the Obama administration's contention that failure to lift the debt limit would trigger an unprecedented default.

The U.S. has until Aug. 2 to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, according to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. Failing to act would invite "catastrophic'' consequences, Geithner has said: Military service members would not get paid, retirement investments would drop in value, and people would face higher payments on mortgages and car loans.

President Obama has said he expects Congress to increase the ceiling. In an interview last month with the Associated Press, the president said, "We will raise the debt limit. We always have. We will do it again."

[tobyhill]

Real cuts would eliminate the need to raise the debt ceiling.

[ilgipper]

Like

[Rapscallion]

Amen.

[arthurus]

There should be NO conditions for raising the ceiling. Any deal for “cuts” will be a sham and worthless. The ceiling should not be raised. Let that action be the cuts. That still is not nearly sufficient. The amount of borrowing should be actually decreased progressively- the ceiling should be lowered every year.

[Bean Counter]

Exactly right. They absolutely must hold the line on this, and insist on sufficient cuts so that no raise in the ceiling is necessary.

And then the only action on the Debt Ceiling from now on should be to lower it.

[servantboy777]

My prediction is the GOP will vote to raise the debt ceiling, settling on couple of hundred billion in cuts and the raising of taxes in multiple forms.

[MinorityRepublican]

GOP will cave.

[Venturer]

What does the cry baby have to say?

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yeh wait a couple of weeks. The GOP will trade their ace in the hole for a promise of “targeted” cuts in the future.

[Brilliant]

Cut the debt ceiling. Make them grovel.

[RS_Rider]

“There should be NO conditions for raising the ceiling.”

Exactly, they should drop the ceiling to match the cuts.

[familyop]

There are no “big cuts”—not even nearly sufficient cuts. They’re politicians, playing to all who receive incomes from the government, directly and indirectly (services, contractors, anti-competition legislation in the guise of environmentalism, etc.).

Regardless of which socialists are in office, the default will continue to its conclusion.

[olezip]

The U.S. has until Aug. 2 to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, according to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. Failing to act would invite "catastrophic'' consequences, Geithner has said: Military service members would not get paid, retirement investments would drop in value, and people would face higher payments on mortgages and car loans.

The Democrats have refused to propose a budget because they have a good thing going. They do not need a budget. Just raise the debt ceiling, raise taxes, continue to borrow money (to give away), and just print money. What a deal!

Then blame the Republicans when it all comes crashing down as it has 100% of the time.

The sheer irresponsibility and the gall of the socialist/Marxist Democrats is amazing; just lie and continue to spend and blame Republicans!

[Bobibutu]

Political Opera. Does not matter what they collectively -D or R or I or xyz - do. We, our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are and have all been screwed. Do the math and factor in how many of our elected officials really give a damn and/or have ethics and principals. All the rest is smoke and mirrors and indirect vote buying to stay in office and milk it for all its worth and as long as possible.

How is it possible that congress and its staff always has a significantly higher personal investment rate of return than the rest of the nations best investors? “We” have sent people to jail for just that alone.

[C210N]

settling on couple of hundred billion in cuts...

Which, after a week of review, turns out to be 10 billion in cuts. Which, after its out of the news completely a few weeks after that, turns out to be a 100 billion increase in spending.

[LostInBayport]

Real cuts would eliminate the need to raise the debt ceiling.

That statement is so simple yet says everything. It might even be possible for the GOP public relations machine to effectively grasp and convey it to the voting populace. Notice I said 'might'. The GOP is tremendously pathetic in seizing upon current events, much less getting their message out.