With revenue bills originating in the house in letter, Boehner must lead the cause in spirit as well. He sent the Ryan bill, Reed shrugged it off. He sent the CCB to the Senate, and Reed shrugged it off. Boehner, Lead! damn you.
You are correct! Article I, Sec. 7, of the United States Constitution gives the House exclusive right to originate all Revenue measures. Under that provision, the Senate should have taken up the House Bill, modified it if it chose to and sent it back to the House. Simply ignoring it, and vowing to draft its own measure, ignores the plain language of the Constitution.
What the House must do is simply agree to raise the Debt ceiling only to the extent necessary to accommodate spending that is already authorized, and such additional spending as it anticipates authorizing by a date certain. Beyond that point it must stand like a rock. There is no rational reason to go beyond what the House is willing to agree to, with respect to spending.
Now there is another argument that needs to be voiced, here, beyond what is obvious. Obama wants additional revenue to accommodate his intent to spend money for things that Conservatives believe are simply wrong; wrong because they are not Constitutional; wrong because they actually injure those whose votes Obama seeks to buy--at least in the long-run. There is nothing to compromise on, with respect to such expenditures, anymore than one would award a sugar allowance for a diabetic with an uncontrolled sweet tooth in the family.
America is a multi-generational concept. The interests of our people are not defined by their wants or demands at any moment in time. We have to take a principled stand against that which is corrupting the present; that which is negatively motivating people to do far less than they could do on their own behalf. When you ask at the same time to tax those who are productive; those who are doing the right things for themselves and their families, to so corrupt others; you ask that which no one of conscience can go along with.
Thus far and no further, folks. We must not compromise on this.
William Flax
Boehner, Lead! damn you.
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Or in the alternative, the Republican reps should just disregard and replace this emptiest of empty suits, and do what the Constitution requires.