Posted on 07/23/2011 11:29:47 AM PDT by freespirited
Throughout the debt ceiling talks, one of President Obama's key tasks has been to serve as a reassuring voice, expressing confidence to the public and the financial markets that the United States will not default on its debt. When he appeared at a town hall at the University of Maryland Friday morning, Obama did just that. "The United States does not run out without paying the tab," he said. "We pay our bills... We have never defaulted on our debt. We’re not going to do it now." Later in the townhall, Obama said, "I just want to make sure everybody understands defaulting is not an option."
Just a few hours later, shortly after 6:00 p.m., the president appeared in the White House briefing room and delivered a message almost precisely the opposite of what he had said a few hours earlier. "[Congressional leaders] are going to have to explain to me how it is that we are going to avoid default," the president said. When asked whether he could guarantee that Social Security checks would go out, Obama said, "When it comes to all the checks, not just Social Security -- veterans, people with disabilities -- about 70 million checks are sent out each month; if we default then we’re going to have to make adjustments." Still later, Obama said if House Republicans "are not willing to make sure we avoid default, then I think ... that they would have to take responsibility for whatever problems arise in those payments." ...
Yes, Obama was angry about the breakdown of the latest round of talks with congressional Republicans. But the talks have broken down before -- Obama himself walked out of one session -- and Obama must know that having the president vent publicly about default will not help the situation.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Little correction: only the House can initiate revenue hikes.
I think he would hold up SS checks just for spite so he can have a chance to blame the pubs. Not servicing the debt would be a colassal blunder.
I think he would hold up SS checks just for spite so he can have a chance to blame the pubs. Not servicing the debt would be a colossal blunder.
Obama:”WE dont default on OUR nation’s debts”
Obama a little later :”REPUBLICANS are going to default on OUR nations’s debts”
You see the WE is for when Obama is taking credit for something, but is used sometimes in a negative context.
Get ANY debt limit increase bill to Obama’s desk and he will sign it. Republicans only need to break 15 Democrat Senators to do that. The debt limit will be increased, one side will cave. It’s a matter of understanding what winning means. Winning is not giving Obama what he originally demanded, then claiming it saved us from something even worse.
He had to wait for the market to close before dropping the ‘default’ word bomb.
By Monday, the Republicans will have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageious demagoguery from the media for three days and public opinion will be set against them (the WH hopes).
Byron you're giving him waaaay too much credit.
Mr. Obama, why don’t you submit a plan?
A default is not an economic event. It is a political event.
We need to get this child out of the White House.
Is it just me or is Gumby really sitting in the Oval office?
” A default is not an economic event. It is a political event.”
Wisdom works!
It is so obvious at this point, but not lost on many since and before he became POTUS, he, as well as so many in his party, are totally evil bastards.
Not increasing the debt has no bearing on if we default. We have plenty of income to meet our debt requirements. Obama and his fellow liberals in the Democrat party are simply the party of Tax & Spend and want to spend more than the country takes in as they use that money to buy votes.
If I were BoneHead, I would go before the cameras and say just one thing, “Mr. Obama, why are you so focused on taking this country into more debt?”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.