Budget talks: This is getting nasty

If Obama uses the "14th Amendment" option, it would only allow him to pay off debts. It would not allow him to accrue new debt.

I don't see what that accomplishes.

We can pay the interest on the debt with current cash flow.

I don't think it would really give him much additional flexibility.

 

What a way to run a country!

 

Your caucus can't even get a bill through the friggin House. Who's fault is that?

 

I think this is the silliest criticism off them all.

He could easily pass a bill through the House if he wanted to. He already did with Cap, Cut, and Balance.

He's trying to compromise, and for that he's met, not with appreciation, but with ridicule.

So what's the point?

The Republicans are just negotiating with themselves while the Democrats shoot down everything they offer. They ought to just stop. They've passed a bill.

Let the Senate pass Cut, Cap, and Balance. The President can sign it, and then raising the debt ceiling will be a breeze.

 

Couple questions for everyone here:

1. Who owns the largest share of the US Debt?

2. China isn't the answer to Q.1, but how much does China owe?

Will present the answers later today. No Googling #yeahright

 

I love how the media calls for "bi-partisanship" and "compromise" when ever -- and only when -- those terms are euphemisms for Republican surrender.

It's so predictable and so shameless.

 

Yeah, that's what's going on here. Everyone is asking for Republicans to surrender and accept the proposals that give Democrats everything they want.

 

Uh, don't a lot of Republicans consider any compromise a surrender.

Damn liberal media.

 

Is this compromise? Or is it trading arms for hostages?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20085491-503544.html

It looks like the House Republican leadership may have found a way to get their members to vote in favor of their debt limit plan: By adding a Balanced Budget Amendment requirement that makes the bill even more toxic to Senate Democrats and the White House.

Following a closed-door meeting of the House GOP Friday morning, Republican Reps. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Phil Gingrey of Georgia and Jeff Landry of Louisiana said they had gone from a "no" to a "yes" - and it appeared several other members had also come on board.

What changed? Members say the bill is being changed to tie a second debt ceiling increase roughly six months from now to successfully sending a Balanced Budget Amendment to the states, which would require a 2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate.

They say a vote on the new version of House Speaker John Boehner's plan will be held today - and the bill will pass.

...

The inclusion of the Balanced Budget Amendment provision would also prompt the Club for Growth, the influential fiscal conservative group, to remove its objection to the bill. In a statement Friday morning, Club for Growth President Chris Chocola said, "We strongly believe that a Balanced Budget Amendment is the piece of the puzzle that puts us on a path to fiscal responsibility and fundamentally reforms our broken budget process. If this new bill accomplishes that goal then the Club for Growth will withdraw its opposition to the Boehner plan and will not key vote against it."

In reality, however, there is no chance that a Balanced Budget Amendment will get the two-thirds majority necessary for passage in both chambers. (To go into effect, it would also need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states.) If Congress ends up passing some sort of compromise legislation between the Senate and House plans, the Balanced Budget Amendment will almost surely be stripped out.

 

Now we're talking!

 

Your definition of compromise is funny.