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Breaking the Debt-Ceiling Cycle

Congress: 112

2011-2012

Breaking the Debt-Ceiling Cycle

The pattern of pretending to debate the factors contributing to Washington’s debt addiction is a rehearsal of rhetoric that, while increasingly circular, produces one-directional results. As the arguments for and against raising the debt ceiling make their way back and forth between the White House and Congress, continuing this exercise without a balanced-budget amendment in place means that the debt ceiling will perpetually move in only one direction: up.

Reforms, Not Just Cuts, Needed Before Debt-Ceiling Increase

In response to the Obama Administration’s efforts to force a debt-ceiling increase, a number of Republicans and even a few Democrats have demanded spending cuts. Reducing short-term spending is important and enjoys widespread support among the American people, but raising the debt ceiling without fundamental, structural spending reforms would be a mistake.

The King’s (Upcoming) Speech

Over the weekend, the Administration announced the President would be giving a speech on deficit reduction on Wednesday. While I would like to believe the President is sincere in taking concrete steps toward spending reforms and reducing our deficit, I remain highly skeptical that he is willing to make the tough decisions.

The Seeds of Shutdown

As a life-long Republican and a founding member of the Tea Party caucus, I can tell you there is not one member of this body, nor is there one member of the senate Tea Party Caucus who wants a government shutdown.

Republicans have, from the outset of this, attempted to bring forward proposals to make sure that we don’t get into a shutdown. The question we need to ask ourselves, is why does the President of the United States, President Barack Obama, want a government shutdown?