McConnell: Give Obama new powers on debt limit

Breitbart ^ | July 12, 2011 | Andrew Taylor

[La Enchiladita]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The top Republican in the Senate proposed on Tuesday giving President Barack Obama sweeping new power to, in effect, unilaterally increase the nation's debt limit to avoid a first-ever default on U.S. obligations. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., offered a new plan to allow the president to demand up to $2.4 trillion in new borrowing authority by the summer of next year in three separate submissions. Those increases in the so-called debt limit would automatically take effect unless both the Republican House and the Democratic Senate enact legislation specifically disapproving it.

Obama would be able to veto such legislation.

The GOP plan would require that Obama submit spending cuts along with his borrowing requests. But unlike the increase in the debt limit, they wouldn't automatically take effect.

The new mechanism would take the place of the White House debt negotiations between congressional leaders and Obama. Those talks over spending cuts and tax increases have grown increasingly acrimonious.

[old school]

Or, alternatively, they could be hanged from the cornices of the Capitol.

[nathanbedford]

Thank you for the compliment.

I too thought at the beginning that Obama would be a two-termer and then later came to the belief that the economic numbers would deny him a 2nd term if the Republicans nominated someone who could at least speak English and look presidential.

There is nothing good about this announcement unless, as you point out, we are missing something under the radar which McConnell is up to. I cannot imagine what it might be. In the absence of a very cogent and very surprising explanation, I see a very grim future for the Republican Party and, therefore, for the Republic.

As geronL has pointed out, it is all so terribly unnecessary.

For some reason I am reminded of the scene in Appomattox after the surrender when Lee is on the front porch preparing to leave and waiting for his horse and he gasps out loud to no one in particular, "too bad, too bad, oh too bad!"

[Osage Orange]

Pretty much how I see it....

I would hope that those morons in D.C. cut spending, and keep the debt ceiling at it's present levels.

Although....I've a feeling that they can't, and they know they can't keep levels as they are now...without slashing spending that will hurt people here.

The rubber is meeting the road....and it's going to be hot.

[liberalh8ter]

The only nuts this particular Muslim’s holding are his wife’s. McConnell is either chicken$h@t or complicit. Either way, he has no business putting the word “republican” anywhere near his name.

[83Vet4Life]

Wow, this sort of thinking could revolutionize politics!

“Lets give Obama full control of healthcare, so he owns the issue.”
“Lets give Obama full control of taxes, so he owns any tax increases.”
...
“Lets give Obama full control of everthing, so he owns America!”

The DUers must be rofling at our lameness right now.

[muawiyah]

Probably not ~ the rabbit is still hopping around ~ but that's the context of what McConnell is reported to have suggested.

Sounds like somebody in DU has a sense of humor and invented a story for AP to foist off as true ~ probably because it would attract Breitbart's attention.

Look, McConnell is being cited today as saying as long as this puke is President there will be no deal on anything.

Everybody knows Obama knows nothing about negotiating nor how the US government works.

He just proposed cutting off Social Security payments. At the same time there's a passel of Democrats in both Houses screaming and hollering about the fact that Social Security DOES NOT CREATE THE DEBT. In fact, Social Security is the largest single creditor to whom payment is owed.

I think Obama might find the Democrats voting with Republicans to impeach and convict the man for cutting off Social Security.

At the moment some feel this is not a feint on his part ~ he actually believes he can manipulate Congress through the recipients.

I, of course, will be angry with Obama and his fat cow giant floating wookie!

As usual.

[Psalm 144]

“The Republican Party is dead, and now the socialists are gonna push hard to close the deal to kill our country....”

Yes indeed. I think I need to go back to my old tagline in:

3

2

1

...

[ken5050]

Has Rand Paul issued a statement on McConnell
s proposal..?

[AnAmericanAbroad]

Well, if its true, as others have said leave it to the GOP to pull defeat out of the jaws of victory. As you said, there may be more to this than meets the eye on first inspection; before going off the handle, I would like Senator McConnell to clarify his position a little further.

As for movie scenes, I’m reminded of Kurosawa’s epic, “Ran” (Chaos), the final scene, where the blind man is on the edge of a precipice, waiting in vain for his sister to return (she’s dead).

The blind man is the USA, tapping ever closer to edge, and one wrong move, and pfffttt! it’s all over.

Maybe I’ll download that and watch it. Good film; might cheer me up a bit.

[smoothsailing]

I don’t trust the Associated Press, is that a problem for you?

[Psalm 144]

“Ever heard of a “Quick Kick” in football? Games have been won because of a judicious coach’s option to quick kick the ball to the other team who is judged by the coach as incompetent to handle the ball..

Obama and the Dems are incompetent to handle the option McConnell is offering them.”

Oh. I see the depth of your wisdom now. I can demonstrate that my insolent and stupid 16 year old nephew is incompetent by giving him a sixpack of beer, a loaded pistol, some credit cards and the keys to the car. He would certainly go on to prove the HE is a fool! Yes, that would make my point.

Yours is a very deep and profound kind of wisdom.

I stand in awe.

[jimjohn]

Relax people!!

1. Blatantly unconstitutional.
2. It would never get past the house. Even the dems would vote this one down.
3. 0bama may be dumb, but he's not that stupid. He would be responsible for killing the U.S. credit rating.
4. I expect a clarification of what he said shortly.
5. If they wanna call this a 'trial ballon' They'll see how far it flies by morning
6. And I think they know that trying to sneak in something like this would probably trigger either the Second Civil War or the Fourth World War - take your pick.

[Psalm 144]

Neville Chamberlain could not come up with a better plan.

---

No. Even Vidkun Quisling would be pressed to match this.

[screaminsunshine]

No! Me neither. But I do not trust the GOPS establishment either.

[screaminsunshine]

So this is a new way to win? Surrender. I get it. AAAACCK!

[nathanbedford]

I expect Mark Levin to issue an earth shattering rant in about 15 minutes and it should be a classic.

[atc23]

I'm convinced that these folks read the headline only before hitting "REPLY" - By golly, this plan, if it works, is absolutely brilliant. president "present" now must lurch out of the underbrush like a one winged duck - directly into our line of fire.

Please pass the popcorn. The worm has turned.

[screaminsunshine]

It is just weird.

[smoothsailing]

People without a sense of history (those who came AFTER Nixon in fact) probably have no idea what this proposal is about.

That brings back memories. The 1968 election was the first election I was old enough to vote in. I voted for Nixon by absentee ballot from my base camp in Qui Nhon. There must have been 50 different people on that ballot listed for President, craziest ballot I've ever cast!

[ConservativeDude]

McConnell is wily for sure...but in this instance, he needs to be careful that he isn’t too wily by half.