A group of nearly 20 House Republican freshman gathered in front of the White House this morning with a letter addressed to President Obama demanding that he provide Congress with a legitimate written proposal (not a speech) to raise the debt ceiling.
“Because you have not presented any written detailed proposal to raise the debt ceiling, our constituents are left in the dark as to what specific cuts you propose as well as what taxes you are planning to raise,” the letter, signed by more than 60 of their freshmen colleagues, states.
Rep. Tom Reed (R., N.Y.), who led the effort, told reporters that Congress could not seriously debate the issue of the debt ceiling without a concrete plan from the president. “We are coming down to crunch time, we need your plan,” Reed said. “Show us what your proposal is and let us have a good old-fashioned debate to get this house in order.”
“The president says he has a plan,” Rep. Trey Gowdy (R., S.C.) said. “Forgive our skepticism. Show us your plan! Because right now it looks like ‘punt, pass and kick,’” a reference to the House GOP’s “Cut, Cap and Balance” legislation scheduled to be voted on this afternoon.
Several members touted “Cut, Cap, and Balance” as yet another example of House Republicans stepping up to the plate on key issues where the president has failed to lead. “We have asked him for a plan. What he has given us is the rhetoric of reelection, not the language of a leader,” Rep. Mike Kelly (R., Pa.) said. “This is the leader of the greatest nation in the history of the world. There is no reason for us to be in the situation we are in today.”
In other White House news, President Obama will give a speech at 1:30 p.m.