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Political Hay
Overcoming Obama’s Obduracy
On the debt ceiling: stop talking and legislate. It will clear the air he’s befouled.
President Obama said at his increasingly notorious press conference on Monday, “America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they have already racked up.” He added, “[T]he issue here is whether or not America pays its bills. We are not a deadbeat nation.”
No that is not the issue. The issue is whether having already racked up a world record smashing $16 trillion in national debt, President Obama is going to be granted a license to rack up trillions more in national debt without enacting some control over runaway federal spending.
Raising the debt limit has nothing to do with paying the bills we have already racked up. That is just more obfuscation and calculated deception from President Obama. He thinks he can confuse the public about the real issue, on which he expects help from the Democrat party-controlled media.
Raising the debt limit just racks up more bills that will have to be paid, just like raising the credit limit on your credit card, and charging still more. Suppose you have been spending two thirds more than you earn for years, and charging the difference on your credit card. But now you have reached the credit limit on that card. Would raising that credit limit and charging still more help you pay the bills you have already racked up? Or would that rack up still more bills that have to be paid?
But Obama added, “there is no simpler solution, no ready, creditable solution other than Congress either give me the authority to raise the debt ceiling or exercise the responsibility that they have kept for themselves and raise the debt ceiling, because this is about paying your bills.”
No, this is not about paying your bills. It is about putting off paying your bills to the future, by borrowing still more. It is about borrowing today so you do not have to pay your bills today. That is what President Obama and the Democrat party are supporting, in plain, common sense, English
But President Obama continued to spin confusion at the press conference:
You don’t say, in order for me to control my appetites, I’m going to not pay the people who already provided me services, people who already lent me the money.
That’s not showing any discipline. All that’s doing is not meeting your obligations. You can’t do that… Even the threat of default hurts our economy…. you never saw a situation in which Democrats suggested somehow that we would go ahead and default if we didn’t get 100% of our way. That’s just not how it’s supposed to work.
But the Republicans are not proposing to cut past spending. They are proposing to cut future spending, or actually just to reduce the increase in runaway, unprecedented, world record shattering spending that Obama and the Democrats are demanding.
Moreover, THERE IS NO ISSUE OF DEFAULT ON THE NATIONAL DEBT in the debt ceiling debate. Even with no increase in the debt limit at all, any debt that comes due can simply be rolled over and replaced with new debt. without violating the debt limit.
In addition, even with no increase in the debt limit at all, people are still required to pay their taxes. And just income taxes alone, not counting Social Security payroll taxes, are 6 times greater than the interest on the national debt. So that can and will continue to be paid, even with no increase in the debt limit at all. Indeed, President Obama is required to pay it by the Constitution, and failing to do so would be an impeachable offense.
The Democrats Veer Into Chavismo
President Obama continued his calculated deception at the press
conference, saying: “You don’t go out to dinner and then, you know.
eat all you want and then leave without paying the check. And if
you do, you’re breaking the law.”
But the only people talking about breaking the law are Obama’s Democrat allies in Congress, who are calling upon him to rule by decree, like a Latin American despot.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent the President a letter, urging Obama just to bypass Congress and raise the debt ceiling on his own by “executive action.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called on Obama to do the same.
About the Author
Peter Ferrara is Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy at the Heartland Institute, General Counsel of the American Civil Rights Union, Senior Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis, and Senior Policy Advisor on Entitlements and Budget Policy at the National Tax Limitation Foundation. He served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan, and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under President George H.W. Bush.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (36) | Leave a comment
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GobBluthe| 1.16.13 @ 7:03AM
Boehner is incapable of leading and must be removed.
Aristocat| 1.16.13 @ 7:33AM
All these things that Peter mentions are great, but they won't be done because House Republicans do not have the courage to do so.
Von Mises Jr| 1.16.13 @ 7:51AM
The GOP Establishment is negotiating with their friends across the aisle against the American people, their rights and property, and their liberty.
We are deluded to think “the enemy of our enemy is our friend,” when the Socialist in the Democrat Party and the GOP Establishment (Ruling Class) are friends and the TEA Party (Country Class) is the enemy of both.
TLP| 1.16.13 @ 1:37PM
How about, we just stand by our principles?
OBAMA WILL BLAME US!
Really? Blame us for what? For stopping the Spending that threatens to destroy us? For Honouring our Solemn Promise to our Children, and Stop when we hit the Debt Ceiling? This is, after all, why it's there.
Will he blame us for what he, himself, advocated, not that long ago, when George W. Bush was President, that Raising the Debt Ceiling showed a Lack of Leadership. That, by doing this, we Send a Message to the rest of the World that America is a bad risk. That, America can no longer Pay her Bills. And that, by doing this, we were passing the Buck, and laying all of this on to the Backs of our Children.
It's way past time to Draw a line in the sand.
It's way past time to hold this Narccissist to HIS OWN WORDS.
It's way past time we told the people the Truth, that we have gone too far, already. We have to turn back.
Every pilot knows how much Fuel he has, and how far it will take him. In every round trip the Aircraft comes to a fixed point on the Map, called The Point of No Return.
We need to turn back, now.
While we still can.
Al Adab| 1.16.13 @ 3:47PM
In the absence of a contest perhaps a bit of Sophocles (as quoted by Dio, in turn quoting Pompey):
"Whoever to a tyrant wends his way
His slave is he, e'en though his steps be free."
Can we free ourselves from this impending tyranny or must we suffer battle after battle until one or the other emerges all powerful and the Republic dies nonetheless? Can we violate the Law in Laws' defense or for want of action suffer the fall?
TLP| 1.16.13 @ 4:50PM
Contest is already up at Monday's "The Noble Savage".
I only Hope that your Entries are better than that.
Joellen| 1.16.13 @ 7:34AM
"but obama continue to spin confusion at the press conference". No he didn't, they know what he's doing, they're just going along with him on his mission to transform the country into a third world nation.
sickofit5| 1.16.13 @ 9:31AM
Joellen, you are right. They sit and figure out a way to make it all good. Consider POS's recent mantra that congress (code for republicans) is responsible for creating the debt so it is time that they pay the bill. No one in that room asked him which debt he was talking about. Obamacare? The bailout, increases in entitlements etc.. Until 2010 we have had the dems running congress since 2006. Did anyone ask him to identify the deficit spending that needs to be paid for. Not one republican has responded.
SCMike| 1.16.13 @ 7:35AM
So the president wants an increase in the debt limit but does not want to bargain. Unfortunately, his party does not control the House, the party controlling the House has not been shy about what it wants in return for increasing the debt ceiling: a path to lower deficits. They would also like to return to the constitutional path of having an annual budget passed by both legislative bodies that comprise the Congress and signed by the president. Outrageous demands, no?
No. For the past three years the current administration has incurred annual deficits in excess of $1T per year. How about the House passing a Ryanesque FY14 budget that includes a debt-ceiling increase congruent with that budget? The budget might also address the remainder of FY13 that’s not already been passed into law by a continuing resolution or other irregular provision. The House would end up with an estimate of the deficit for the remainder of FY13 along with the estimated deficit for the FY14 to arrive at a total budget deficit by the end of FY 14. That total estimated budget deficit over the rest of FY13 and the Ryanesque FY14 budget would be the amount by which the debt ceiling should be increased.
This approach would also solves the sequester conundrum, which is why the Senate Democrats would want to fight against it. But some Democrats, even much of the MSM would find the logic of this approach -- basing the national debt increase on a budget passed into law -- appealing.
Stormzeye| 1.16.13 @ 7:56AM
How can the House do anything when they are constantly battered by the greatest threat to the Republic we've ever encountered: the press.
This corrupt institution has been Obama's bodyguard for more than five years. They hide the facts from the public and promote the most scurrilous lies without any sense of shame. In spite of all this the House should do nothing......they are fighting a loosing battle if they try to negotiate or legislate.
Al Adab| 1.16.13 @ 8:40AM
Spending cuts in exchange for the limit increase, dollar for dollar in the same budget year. Of course this administration and the Reid Senate have never passed or adopted a budget so we don't even know where the money is going. The GOP House needs to pass a balanced budget immediately and then let The Senate and President stew in the juices. We will then see just who is being "responsible".
Drunken Sailor| 1.16.13 @ 10:00AM
"Of course this administration and the Reid Senate have never passed or adopted a budget so we don't even know where the money is going."
That's always been the plan Al. The low information voter just doesn't get that they are being lied to and conned by the largest group of snake oil salesmen to ever run a goverment.
Anthony| 1.16.13 @ 10:04AM
Of course Obozo can confuse the low information voter. He has the whores in the media doing his bidding and he had the gutless and feckless R congress sitting around with their thumbs up their asses.
Add to this, moronic leftist law professors from Ivy League schools doing their best 2nd grade interpretation of the Constitution and the 14th Amendment.
We have so lost control of this great country. We need a serious shakeup.
Von Mises Jr| 1.16.13 @ 10:37AM
Obama is a low information voter. Even he could not be that good a liar to ramble the nonsense he espouses without being all in.
Deerknocker| 1.16.13 @ 10:05AM
The best policy for House Republicans in the age of Obama is to do what the Constitution requires; legislate. Show the country your vision of the federal government, and the funds to be expended in each unit of government. Pass it to the Senate and the President and if they block it shame on them. Negotiating with the President or his minions is a waste of time. He doesn't want accommodation with his political opponents; he wants to destroy them. You don't negotiate with such a man.
Pecos Pete| 1.16.13 @ 10:33AM
The debt limit will be raised. Spending will increase.
Harry Reid will allow nothing less. regardless of what the House Republicans do with common sense legislation.
The "low information public" wants their goodies. Nough said.
The United States Republic based on Constitutional Law died on November 6, 2012. We are living in the new United States where the Constitution is damned, the bible is damned and our future is damned.
Return to sanity will never happen at the federal level. Only the states can overcome this disaster.
Al Adab| 1.16.13 @ 12:10PM
Think of what your family budget would look like if interest payments on debt were the biggest item every month. Sure would be hard to buy essentials like food, gas and utilities wouldn't it. Now imagine if your life centered around dining out, doing movies or buying football tickets. Where would you start to cut? That's the plural you, not specific to Pete.
Hope the warming trend sets in up there Pete, it's been way too cold.
Pecos Pete| 1.16.13 @ 12:20PM
-10 at night, high of 20 during day. I'm thinking of moving to the equator.
Drunken Sailor| 1.16.13 @ 12:51PM
You would just complain about the heat.
Pecos Pete| 1.16.13 @ 1:01PM
Yeah, and then I'd want to move to the Artic. Just like King O, I'm looking for the perfect solution to societies ills.
TLP| 1.16.13 @ 1:39PM
All of you guys are "Noble Savages" if you ask me.
NOBLE SAVAGES.
Drunken Sailor| 1.16.13 @ 3:39PM
Well I have been called a nuisance by quite a few and uncivilized by more but unfortunately for them I wear that title with pride. The ancient greeks would agree with me.
Al Adab| 1.16.13 @ 3:48PM
Barbaros, Barbarus
KennesawJack| 1.16.13 @ 4:00PM
Sailor, I, too, have often been called uncivilized as well as a redneck,
KennesawJack| 1.16.13 @ 4:07PM
Sorry, didn't mean to post that. I wasn't finished. As I was saying, uncivilized, redneck, damned redneck, damned Yankee (which differs from just Yankee. A Yankee comes South for a visit, a damned Yankee comes South and stays), reactionary Republican, uneducated hillbilly, etc., etc., etc. and all of that is just from my FRIENDS. I love it when those same folks ask me what "Our Name is Equality 72521" means which I have plastered across the rear window of my 4WD bad-ass Dodge Ram just beneath the rifle rack. I DO love living in Georgia.
Drunken Sailor| 1.16.13 @ 4:23PM
KJ, if you aint rubbing someone the wrong way your faking your way through life. You sound like a relative. My family tree looks more like a hedgerow than a telephone pole.
KennesawJack| 1.16.13 @ 4:58PM
Well, if nothing else, were for damned sure related philosophically. BTW, mine looks like a hedgerow, too. A hedgerow sorely in need of trimming.
Kwan| 1.16.13 @ 10:52AM
That's right let's raise the debt limit so Obama can waste more money on "green energy" scams like Solyndra. And let's not forget Obama has to also waste a few trillion dollars on slavery reparations now called "social justice". Our economy continues to stagnate while Obama diverts money into retarded leftist programs that produce nothing but increased debt.
Warrior| 1.16.13 @ 5:05PM
He already received more pet project money as part the fiscal cliff deal. Our economy is on the verge of collapse. The infusion of a trillion extra borrowed dollars a year has artificially inflated the economy. The only saving grace has been the banks holding the money. If they released the currency into the economy the currency devaluation and deep depression that would follow would be devastating.
Stkman| 1.16.13 @ 11:10AM
We are doomed as a nation because Boehnor is a coward, a liar, or both. The house belongs to the people. He acts as if it belongs to the Republican party. Our so called leaders don't lead anything but a band of theives.
We should all buy stock in companies that manufacture rope, gunpowder , arms and amunition. Times are about to get more excititng than any of us ever wanted or expected to see in our lifetimes.
Peppermint Tea | 1.16.13 @ 12:31PM
Pete: "The United States Republic based on Constitutional Law died on November 6, 2012."
The Mayans were right! December 2012 was the beginning of a NEW AGE in the world (They never prophesied the end of the world).
As Pete noted, we are in a new age of no constitution, no rules, no rights, and chaos will ensue. The 4 century old trend to build and unify government is now reversed to destroy and localized government. Tribalism is the new norm (the election showed that). I guess we had better get with tribalism because the pretend civility in politics is no more.
War is coming to America. Why else would they be taking our guns and ammo?
Hopefully, the NEW AGE will be replaced by freedom. The Main Scream Media will be replaced by information. The dependence on government will be replaced by family.
JD| 1.16.13 @ 12:43PM
There are many lies which the Left repeats frequently, but the one currently getting the most press is Obama's claim that Republicans are refusing to pay debts that are "already racked up".
Raising the debt ceiling is not required to pay for spending that has already happened. It is required to allow future spending that is "scheduled". This spending does not have to happen. There is no mathematical reason why we could not immediately reduce spending to a rate of a mere $2.7 trillion/year, which would require no increase in debt.
Of course Democrats will say that this would require "draconian cuts" in social welfare that people "need". They never consider that the draconion cuts needed in other areas to finance their spending are even worse. There is no free lunch.
In all budget conversations, Democrats insist that we operate from a baseline that is everything they want, so that "deficit reduction" means merely giving them a bit less than they want, even though that still increases the debt substantially going forward. "Shrinking government" similarly is defined as growing at a slower pace than they really wanted.
They must not be allowed to misdefine the terms of debate.
Hardcard| 1.16.13 @ 1:05PM
What ever dear leader wants it will be deemed at once. The riff-raff are being disarmed by fiat of the leader. Will the Black Panthers continue to be armed, duhhh ! A third term is in the works. We the people are at fault and must be brought onboard to the leaders wishes. We are screwed.
Martin kzovich| 1.16.13 @ 3:16PM
Just where is the Republican Party ?. I have heard it said by some pundits that Obama wants to destroy the Republican Party. But I am starting top believe that it is the Republican Beltway crowd that wants to destroy itself by alienating the voters --that is to say the people aka conservative types. Well what do you think ?
spike59| 1.17.13 @ 5:38AM
there is no real Republican Party anymore; the 'leadership' has surrendered and are determined to be the 'hey, us too' party
Ralph Novy| 1.19.13 @ 2:07PM
Well, Peter, I, for one, am not cowed by "obduracy."
If Obama's been obdurate about ANYTHING, it's been about extending intrusive governmental authority that initially gained big traction with the Bush regime post-9/11.
Yeah, there's plenty of shit going on to blame Obama for -- but starting THAT crap is not part of it.
Get at grip. Get more honest -- with yourself and us.
Hey, pal. I know. I fooled myself for years too.