[ClearCase_guy]

This is absolutely asinine.

Carry out the spending cuts. Real spending cuts. Be fiscally responsible for once.

Raising the debt ceiling is the very definition of being fiscally irresponsible. The notion of “we’ll raise your debt ceiling if you agree to spending cuts” is about the stupidest trade-off I can imagine.

[ClearCase_guy]

And another thing -- why not "negotiate" like Democrats do?

"Debt ceiling? No. That's not being raised. Don't waste my time on that -- now, about these spending cuts, here's what I want ..."

[kabar]

The notion of “we’ll raise your debt ceiling if you agree to spending cuts” is about the stupidest trade-off I can imagine.

The debt ceiling will have to raised at some point. We can't balance the budget in one year or five years. The first thing that needs to be done is to change the trajectory of spending, which will be difficult because the entitlement programs costs are increasing every year due to the fact that 10,000 people a day are retiring and will do so for the next 20 years. By 2030 one in five Americans will be 65 or older and there will be just two workers for every retiree.

The dirty little secret is that we cannot pay SS and Medicare benefits without borrowing the money.