Debt ceiling redux: Lawmakers push to link fiscal cliff deal to the national debt

[TomCADem]

Source: Washington Post

On Thursday, however, the White House and Democrats in Congress signaled that they would take up that fight again this year — as part of negotiations over the “fiscal cliff.”

“Whatever arrangement we come up with, there will be an agreement on the debt ceiling,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Thursday, saying he was echoing a statement from President Obama. “Or there will be no agreement.”

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For many decades in the past, Congresses routinely approved debt-ceiling increases without attaching conditions. But that changed in 2011, when a new Republican majority in the House sought to use the debt ceiling as leverage to force broad cuts in federal spending.

“Asking that a political price be paid in order for Congress to do its job to ensure that the United States of America pays its bills and does not default for the first time is deeply irresponsible,” Carney said. “It was deeply irresponsible in the summer of 2011, and it would be deeply irresponsible to see that approach taken again. The president expects Congress to do its job.”



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/debt-ceiling-redux-lawmakers-push-to-link-fiscal-cliff-deal-to-the-national-debt/2012/11/29/7cf83224-3a48-11e2-8a97-363b0f9a0ab3_story.html

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One of the "outrageous" demands that Republicans accused President Obama of making is to make Republican Senator Mitch McConnell's proposal for dealing with the debt ceiling permanent, i.e, Congress can pass a bill to oppose the increase in the debt ceiling, the President can veto it, but the increase can be overridden by a 2/3 vote of Congress.

Ironically, Mitch McConnell's proposal is now an outrageous proposal by the Democrats that is going backwards, yet the media does not call Republicans on their lies and deception.

[DhhD]

1. Is an Amendment to the Constitution needed to changed the term limits of lawmakers?

If Congressional members were elected once a year, then they would have to answer for their voting record. Since media does not report, then the lawmakers themselves would face their constituents at a primary every year.

Children bring home a report card several times before the final exam and promotion to the next grade the next year. Children do not give their report card to Corporate America.

I would like for my congressional representatives to give me their voting report card and I will put the grade on the ballot. The voters will decide yearly if they are promoted to report to a congressional seat January 3rd of the following year.