Obama's presser; Monday 1-14

[soulflower]

I was taught that boys who wear big boy pants don't spend more than they make. What the House wants Obama to do before they approve increasing the debt ceiling is start decreasing the annual spending as well. That is the mature thing to do but Obama continues to play games with spending cuts. Why is he not talking about spending cuts now before the debt ceiling is reached? I call it the 3P's. Piss Poor Planning.

Sequestration. They have to deal with cutting defense and entitlement spending one way or another within the next 60 days...

[SemiAuto]

It's a problem, not a "crisis". Not raising the debt limit makes it a self-inflicted crisis sort of like choosing not to pay your mortgage



Austerity reduces economic growth. At this time we can't afford to reduce economic growth. That would be like shooting yourself in the foot before a foot race...

...or adding more debt to address a debt crisis.

There is no doubt in my mind that if the debt ceiling is raised then the government will spend more. Give a drunk your credit card, drop him off at the bar, and hope for sobriety. You know it is not going to happen so the responsible thing to do is cut off the booze.

[flyboy56]

Sequestration. They have to deal with cutting defense and entitlement spending one way or another within the next 60 days...

So why no transparent meetings taking place? Just Obama making speeches about the debt ceiling? If he had put on his big boy pants two years ago and dealt with this overspending issue there wouldn't be a need to increase the government credit card spending limit.

[soulflower]

...or adding more debt to address a debt crisis.

There is no doubt in my mind that if the debt ceiling is raised then the government will spend more. Give a drunk your credit card, drop him off at the bar, and hope for sobriety. You know it is not going to happen so the responsible thing to do is cut off the booze.

The debt ceiling deals with debt we already owe, not future spending. It's like choosing not to pay your mortgage.

[soulflower]

So why no transparent meetings taking place? Just Obama making speeches about the debt ceiling? If he had put on his big boy pants two years ago and dealt with this overspending issue there wouldn't be a need to increase the government credit card spending limit.

It's not Obama's fault.

In 2011 and 2012 John Boehner walked away from very generous(for republicans) debt reduction offers from Obama. Obama has proposed entitlement cuts.

[SemiAuto]

The debt ceiling deals with debt we already owe, not future spending. It's like choosing not to pay your mortgage.

... while at the same time buying a vacation home.

Of course, if you don't get the higher credit limit then you can't do it.

I'm told, "Raise taxes and we'll cut spending later." Taxes go up but the spending cuts don't show.
I'm told, "Raise the debt ceiling and well address the debt later." The debt ceiling goes up and more and more debt is piled on.

Sorry, I'm not going to play that irresponsible game anymore. The cuts have to come first. It is the responsible thing to do.

[soulflower]

... while at the same time buying a vacation home.

Of course, if you don't get the higher credit limit then you can't do it.

I'm told, "Raise taxes and we'll cut spending later." Taxes go up but the spending cuts don't show.
I'm told, "Raise the debt ceiling and well address the debt later." The debt ceiling goes up and more and more debt is piled on.

Sorry, I'm not going to play that irresponsible game anymore. The cuts have to come first. It is the responsible thing to do.

They are obligated by the Sequestration to cut defense and entitlement spending. Unless they kick the can again, there's no way to avoid talking about spending cuts over the next two months.

Thankfully, right now it seems like the GOP is bluffing and not seriously contemplating not raising the Debt Ceiling. So your argument may be futile. No matter what they say, Mitch McConnell is likely to sweep in at the last minute and make a deal to avoid any kind of pain.

[CajunRaven]

They have enough money to do that but not that and all the other upcoming obligations. Why do you think there is a need to increase the debt limit?

Not sure what you mean by "baselining"? Assume it means the opposite of zero based budgeting?

Maggie, I understand they don't have enough to cover everything, ow to the tune of 46 cents on the dollar. That's the problem.

Yes, baseline budgeting, where increases are built in each year.

[CajunRaven]

... while at the same time buying a vacation home.

Of course, if you don't get the higher credit limit then you can't do it.

I'm told, "Raise taxes and we'll cut spending later." Taxes go up but the spending cuts don't show.
I'm told, "Raise the debt ceiling and well address the debt later." The debt ceiling goes up and more and more debt is piled on.

Sorry, I'm not going to play that irresponsible game anymore. The cuts have to come first. It is the responsible thing to do.

How many times do we need to be lied to that we'll get around to the spedning cuts? The game does need to stop.

[CajunRaven]

It's not Obama's fault.

In 2011 and 2012 John Boehner walked away from very generous(for republicans) debt reduction offers from Obama. Obama has proposed entitlement cuts.

And Obama didn't push for his Debt Commission recommendations. And the House sent several budgets to the Senate that Harry Reid refused to bring up.

They all own it.

[soulflower]

And Obama didn't push for his Debt Commission recommendations.

Yes he did. He's included some of their ideas in his proposals

And the House sent several budgets to the Senate that Harry Reid refused to bring up.

They all own it.

Doesn't change the fact that Obama has put entitlement cuts on the table as recently as December and the House GOP has walked away each time...

[CajunRaven]

Yes he did. He's included some of their ideas in his proposals




Doesn't change the fact that Obama has put entitlement cuts on the table as recently as December and the House GOP has walked away each time...

So he should put them back up and dare them to vote against.

[soulflower]

So he should put them back up and dare them to vote against.

He probably will put those proposals on the table again but with a gun pointed at his head(the Debt Ceiling).

It's never good to negotiate with terrorists