Posted on 09/29/2013 11:42:00 AM PDT by Eleutheria5
Former President Bill Clinton, who sat in the Oval Office during the last government shutdown, supports President Barack Obama's refusal to negotiate with congressional Republicans and argues he should call their "bluff" as the government nears a possible shutdown and default.
"He could stop it, but the price of - the current price of stopping it is higher than the price of letting the Republicans do it and taking their medicine," he said in an interview that aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week."
Clinton went on to say that House Republicans, having realized they have little chance of pushing through legislative items their party wants, have dug in and scrapped any plans of negotiating. "Give us what we want or we're going to shut the government down," Clinton said, describing how he sees the GOP strategy.
"I think under those circumstances, the president has to take the position he's taken," he continued. "Which is 'You - not me - you voted to spend this money.' … You can't negotiate over that. And I think he's right not to."
Obama has repeatedly vowed he won't bargain in the upcoming debt ceiling debate. If the debt ceiling isn't raised by October 17, the government won't be able to pay its bills.
Republicans frequently point to Clinton's tenure, when he negotiated with congressional Republicans over raising the debt ceiling in 1996.
But Clinton argued Sunday that was a different period in time, saying the negotiations then were "extremely minor" and the stakes at the time were not as large: "The economy was growing and the deficit was going down."
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(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
Obama cannot defend his own doing...drags pale face Clinton out to do his bidding, and I cannot remember voting for the Obama care...I do remember voting for the republicans to take control of the house, and stop this spending madness..
Clinton had a Congress which knew its proper role in setting the laws and budgets for USA.
So, he had to work with Congress, with some good results (to both their credits).
Today, Clinton (and the entire world) sees that Congress has lost its sense of institutional role. That’s a nice way of saying that the R party leadership in the House needs gonadal transplantation. Hopefully, they are not too old to qualify for these missing parts to be provided them by Obamacare.
Maybe that’s why Congress has been so damned complicit and enabling of Obamacare? They hope to get free implants?
His defence? The deficit is now growing and the economy shrinking, so therefore, no negotiations.
If they didn’t know how to use the pair G-d gave them, what would an implant do for them?
Hussein is taking advice from an impeached serial *Perjurer? Doesn’t really change much.
The Democrats are really scraping the bottom of the barrel to allow this wrinkled fornicator serve as party spokesman. He is remembered for Monica’s blue dress. Nothing else in his lack-luster presidency was in the least memorable.
Shouldn’t Bill Clinton be doing what he does best, look up women’s skirts..nah, he goes on CNN to bash Republicans..Obama has had the goods on this guy for years, he owns him
No Bill, you’re behind the eight ball. We’re calling YOUR bluff.
Not taking advice from. Giving orders to.
Not memorable to you and me, but very adored by the American people!
Bluff? Obama’s the guy issuing all the dire threats.
on the contrary!!!
Oh Bill don’t you have a intern waiting somewhere
It was designed that way for this specific situation.
Clinton loves to goad obama into stepping on his...obama falls for it every time.
Well come debt ceiling time, the Rs better remember that if it’s raised, 0bama will spend it all and then say Congress approved it. Just don’t approve it.
Just don’t raise it.
Not borrowing even more isn’t failing to pay the bills. It’s choosing not to incur more bills.
Rs need to tie debt ceiling increases to tax increases in their talking points.... ie a debt ceiling increase will require more in taxes to repay it...
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