Updated at 8:10 p.m. ET
Republican Sen. John McCain today railed against conservatives who stand in opposition to House Speaker John Boehner's plan to raise the debt ceiling and reduce the deficit. He called their insistence on passing a balanced budget amendment "worse than foolish" and "bizarro."
Passing an amendment to the Constitution requiring a balanced federal budget is simply not possible with a Democratic majority in the Senate, McCain said, and to suggest otherwise is doing a disservice to voters.
"That is not fair to the American people to hold out and say we won't agree to raising the debt limit until we pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution," McCain said on the Senate floor today. "It's unfair, it's bizzaro. And maybe some people have only been in this body for six or seven months or so really believe that."
Special report: America's debt battle
Boehner's plan to raise the debt ceiling would call for the House and the Senate to vote on a balanced budget amendment -- but not necessarily pass it. Democrats have dismissed Boehner's plan as a "big wet kiss" to the Tea Party and impossible to pass in the Senate. Even so, some of the most conservative members of the House are saying Boehner's plan doesn't go far enough.
The White House and the Treasury Department maintain that the U.S. risks defaulting if the debt ceiling isn't raised by August 2.
"The idea seems to be that if the House GOP refuses to raise the debt ceiling, a default crisis or gradual government shutdown will ensue and the public will turn en masse against Barack Obama," McCain said, quoting a Wall Street Journal op-ed. "Then Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced budget amendment and reform entitlements and the Tea Party Hobbits could return to Middle Earth."
"This is the kind of crack political thinking that turned Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell into GOP Senate nominees," McCain continued, still quoting the Wall Street Journal in reference to the two failed 2010 Senate candidates.
By rejecting the Boehner plan, McCain warned, conservatives would not only undermine the speaker but also "go far to re-electing Mr. Obama and making the entitlement state that much harder to reform."
This article was updated to clarify that in part of his remarks today, McCain was quoting a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
You're a Great American, and have served your country well. However, our country is in a very difficult situation because of the old guard kicking the can down the road. You are part of the problem, and you will find deaf ears if you try to defend yourself against this. It's like an old quarterback that doesn't know when it's time. John, I love you to bits, and it's time. Let the new leadership take over and run with the ball.
In February 2009, Congress raised the debt limit to $12.104 trillion.
U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK
The Outstanding Public Debt as of 29 Jul 2011 at 12:08:36 AM GMT is:
$ 1 4 , 3 4 6 , 9 7 6 , 2 4 9 , 5 4 8 . 3 0
Gross National Product. GNP is the total value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a particular year, plus incomecitizens (including income of those located abroad), minus income of non-residents located in that country. Basically, GNP measures the value of goods and services that the country's citizens produced regardless of their location. GNP is one measureeconomic condition of a country, under the assumption that a higher GNP leads to a higher quality of living, all other things being equal. earned by its of the
Read more: http://www.investorwords.com/2186/GNP.html#ixzz1TRskh797
The US GNP is about 15 trillion dollars, that is almost the same as the debt. There is no economic theory to dictate and justify the debt ceiling at this time. In fact the GNP and GDP allow to the US to bear more debt. The US has the highest GNP in the world and the US has the second highest GDP in the world, second only to the European Union (which isn't even a country).
I have a few questions:
(1) Is it foolish to ask for "Cut, Cap, Balance" in this economic situation - How can the Republican Party justify a cap on the debt ceiling? Which facts justify it?
(2) Did the Republican Party ever request "Cut, Cap, Balance" in US history?
(3) Why does the Republican Party request "Cut, Cap, Balance" now? Is it a political game for its own interest, not the American people's interest?
(4) Is it foolish to consider cutting the budget without looking for measures to raise revenues such as raising taxes on wealthy people?
Tax breaks on the wealthy will not help the economy as many Republicans have suggested. It's simple mathematics: There are more poor and middle class people than wealthy people; thus money will be spent quicker in the poor and middle class hands. This is why cutting entitlements is a ridiculously foolish idea and hence there could be economic consequences - demand and supply in economic theory.
Good Night
In recent years there has been a "debt ceiling" in effect. Whereas Congress once approved legislation for every debt issuance, the growth of government fiscal operations in the 20th century made this impractical. (For example, the Treasury now conducts more than 200 sales of debt by auction every year to fund over $4 trillion in debt operations.) The Treasury was granted authority by the Congress to issue such debt as was needed to fund government operations as long as the total debt did not exceed a stated ceiling. The "ceiling" is routinely raised by passage of new laws by the United States Congress.
In February 2009, Congress raised the debt limit to $12.104 trillion.
(1) United states has not had a balanced-budget since 1557.
(2) The Republican Presidents created more deficits from 1986 to 2007. Please read:
http://www.geldpress.com/2008/07/us-budget-reporting-deception/
More to come
Leftenant Steele:Say,it was mighty noble of Capt Obama to allow us to keep our rank after the Democrats won fair and square.
Leftenant Boehner:Yeah,well...no good deed goes unpunished, I say!
Background voice of Dick Armey:Heh,Heh,Heh,Heh...
An alarm bell rings while a voice cries out: Man overboard! Man overboard!
Steele and Boehner scramble upstairs to the main deck where they almost trip over an individual scrubbing the floor.
Leftenant Steele: Ex-Capt Limbarf,sorry sir...we heard the alarm and...
Ex-Capt Limbarf: Yes,yes scurvy idiots.A woman and her child just fell overboard.Now listen,there's not much time!You two have to rush to Capt Obama and delay any rescue attempt!Demand a rescue vote,then don't participate in it,then complain about inclusion,screw up everything he tries to do!
Leftenant Boehner: But sir!Why delay the rescue?
Ex-Capt Limbarf:Because,you idiot,the delay will cause the woman and child to drown and Capt Obama will get the blame!!
Background voice of Dick Armey: Heh,Heh,Heh,Heh,Heh,Heh...