Before heading to the White House for a new round of debt ceiling talks on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) briefed reporters on his “contingency plan” in the Capitol.
The Republican leader reiterated that the proposal was merely a “backup plan” and “last-choice option” designed to “reassure the markets that default is not an option.” It will also, McConnell suggested, render moot President Obama’s faux lament, in an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, that he “can’t guarantee” that Social Security benefits will be paid if Congress doesn’t reach a deal to raise the debt ceiling by early August.
A visibly frustrated McConnell said he hoped a significant agreement was still possible, but noted that the decision to introduce this measure was the result of growing concern about the president’s seriousness regarding the negotiations. “I had hoped all year long that the opportunity presented by [Obama's] request of us to raise the debt ceiling would generate a bipartisan agreement that would begin to get our house in order by reducing spending,” he said with an exasperated laugh. “That may still happen . . . But we’re certainly not going to send a signal to the markets and the American people that default is an option.”
The plan essentially places the entire impetus for raising the debt ceiling on President Obama and congressional Democrats. As House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) said earlier today: “This debt limit increase is his problem, and I think it’s time for him to lead by putting his plan on the table, something that the Congress can pass.”
McConnell’s plan, in part, would require President Obama to recommend detailed spending cuts of equal of greater value to the amount of debt increase being requested. This comes in response to GOP critics who accuse the White House of not having a plan of its own to reduce the deficit (beyond raising taxes).
Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.), who has been involved in the debt negotiation since before President Obama got involved, said he was initially “quite hopeful” that a deal could be reached, but when Republicans realized that Democrats would insist on major tax increases in return for any modest changes to entitlement programs, it became clear that a contingency option was necessary.
No deal.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"John Boehner (R., Ohio) said earlier today: “This debt limit increase is his problem"
Um, no John, it's our (U.S. Citizens) problem. We're (and our children) are on the hook here. Unfortunately, rarely can a politician claim full responsibility for their actions and then actually do a d*mn thing about it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseUm, no, Matt, it is Obama's problem. Did you or me or the citizenry spend this country into the ground? The (D)s did, and Obama is pretending like the past 2.5 years never happened. The president can't yield to a deal without raising a minimum of $1 trillion in new taxes. He's not serious about fixing this mess, he's serious about "punishing the rich" and all the ideological BS associated with it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTravis, what I meant is that Boehner can say this add'l debt is all on Obama, but so what? Who's responsible for paying the debt back? In that regard, Obama can no more take responsibility for raising the debt ceiling than he can for driving the country into the ground. Which is why he must be stopped.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, at least McConnell is following the tried and true Boehner strategy of making clear how he will capitulate if the Dems don't fold.
Why do the profiles in courage of our current GOP leadership give me visions of the Titanic sinking below the waves, rather than a PT boat captain leading his men to safety?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTo the People of Kentucky:
Your senior senator (I am done capitalizing HIS title, or using his name) is an abject idiot.
And you know what? It's your fault he's there in such a high position. So, I now blame you for the fact that such an important person in this negotiation has at most ONE brain cell to his credit.
“reassure the markets that default is not an option.”
The only person with control over whether we default on our debt is Tax Cheat Timothy Geithner. Interesting, huh? A TAX CHEAT threatening a DEFAULT!
Go figure THAT in Kain-tuck, your "sacred hunting ground" for natives that was once the sight of the slaughter of innocent Welsh settlers who were the descendants of Madoc and Riryd, the Welsh king Owain Gwenned's two son's.
In Kentucky, they continue to reap what the Shawnee sowed roughly 800 years ago. His name is McConnel.
And now, the not-so-great people of Kentucky have hoisted this moron onto the rest of us.
“But we’re certainly not going to send a signal to the markets and the American people that default is an option.”
Huh? You'd be sending a signal to the markets and the American people that you take your job seriously.
Also, moron, you'd be signaling to those same groups that you are capable of articulating an argument, not some hair-brained excuse for promulgating your own existence in government.
This fool has signaled that the very approach to governance which caused this problem is his chief concern, and that to which he pledges his allegiance.
Your senior senator pledges his full allegiance NOT to you, or to his country's fiscal health, but to the Washington D.C power game that props up the mush between his ears with some semblance of over-starched pride.
For re-electing this guy, the people of Kain-tuck deserve his brand of idiocy. The rest of us don't. And I think many of us would appreciate it if the voters of Kentucky took their civic duty a LITTLE more seriously when his senate tier is up for election.
MORON minority leader:
I live in NY. I have VERY little disposable income. And if I'm NOT alone, I'll donate to your primary challenger.
Game ON, dolt!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI live in Florida. I will contribute as well to primary McConnell but he will probably just retire or something to avoid it.
I am so mad right now at McConnell I am madder than*
* sound of all bad words CNRO won't allow plus furious clinking of ice cubes in my gin and tonic....keeping in mind I seldom drink during the week.^&%$^&*************************
Col. Travis: cue your video here of Braveheart, etc.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm passing the word along. The process to draft this dolt's conservative replacement begins now.
We can e-mail TEA parties throughout the country, urging them to flush the loo of this guy.
We can call state GOP committees, local committees, and the RNC to tell 'em that they get ZERO money unless Mitch's replacement is recruited from within.
We can call 501(c)(3)s and other private groups and tell 'em to get on it.
If he actually thought he could get away with this, then I have a new nickname for him:
-Senator Scarecrow-
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnything in Washington containing the word "Deal" means the GOP got snookered (AGAIN!) and the American people got screwed (YET AGAIN!).
I know it's asking waaaaay too much, but show some spine, Republicans. I deeply regret sending McConnell money in 2008--shoulda let the old ninny go down.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat a bunch of morons. Every time I think they have set the bar for stupid, they find a new level to hit.
Pass the debt limit bill with two provisions. One, all PBS money is gone. PBS becomes a private company. Second, all money for abortion mills is banned. That means Planned Barenhood is off the dole.
Pass the bill and watch Obumbles, Crazy Nancy and Dingy Harry have a stroke.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThankfully nobody serious cares about money for PBS or 'abortion mills'.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRedState has the right take on this:
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObama has increased spending by over 25% in the last 2 years. Without those increases we would be a year away from hitting the ceiling ...
Its his own problem ... he needs to lead ...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo, the plan is to let the debt increase unless you can override an Obama veto. Let's see, the last time I checked there were 53 Senators aligned with the Democrats. 3 of them said no deal without significant spending cuts. So that leaves Republicans with 11 Senators to convince to override without loosing a single vote (can anyone remember who represents Maine?). What are the odds of that happening? I'd say about the same as the odds of my grand-kids having social security as we know it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Republican party has no interest in governing. They have no interest in government. Why even have a president? Why have a Congress? Just to destroy itself?
History will not be kind to today's Republicans. They live in a bizarre fantasy world completely divorced from reality.
Bring back the party of Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Bring back the party of Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon."
Well, actually, that's STILL the VERY SAME GOP you have today.
They each expanded government at an alarming rate, caved to Democrats at every turn, and gave us some of the worst excuses for jurists ever hoisted upon our country.
So, if you were not being sarcastic, your wish is thy command every day the GOP remains in existence.
The only answer is to destroy the GOP. And all that requires is ...
To turn your back. Moon 'em, and say, "Ahhh!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObama says, I want you to raise the debt ceiling, but I will not cut spending no matter what. McConnell responds with - OK, we'll show you, we'll give you authority to increase the debt ceiling the amount you ask for, in return for your "suggestion" of a "plan" for future cuts. Take that!
We need new Republican leaders. The current crop can't get over the terror of a repeat of 1995-6, when the PR wing of the Democratic Party, the mainstream media, pushed front page propaganda like this.
External Link
But back then, when it came to mass media, we only had Rush Limbaugh and the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal. This is not 1995. The history of the next two years will not be written by the NBCCBSABCMSNBCNYTimesWashPost monolith. Now there is Fox News, the Internet, a broader range of talk radio, and social networking.
Did all of the current GOP congressional leaders sleep through the 2010 election? Maybe it is time for the Sarah Palins, Rick Perrys, Marco Rubios and other genuine conservatives to begin leading the Republican Party.
They could call out the congressional GOP leaders, personally, now. Raise the cost of capitulation; put a little steel in their spines. We can't afford to wait until January 2013 for real leadership.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSomehow this *backup* reminds me of TARP tranches.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOnce again a RINO folds a winning hand. A debt limit increase with no corresponding real cuts is given to the President. I for one have had it with the Republican party. It is time for a third party. The Republican party belongs in the trash can with the Whigs and the Federalist.
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