For the last several weeks, we've heard Obama and Democrats drone on and on about a "clean" debt-limit bill. Well, ya wanted it, ya got it! On Tuesday evening, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), sponsored a bill to unconditionally raise the debt ceiling, with the vote scheduled to commence after the close of American markets. So how did it go? As The Hill reports:
The House overwhelmingly voted down an unconditional increase to the $14.3 trillion debt limit Tuesday, as the Republican majority delivered a symbolic rebuke to President Obama ahead of a meeting at the White House. The vote was 318-97, with 82 Democrats joining every Republican in rejecting legislation that would have authorized $2.4 trillion in additional borrowing by the federal government.
The bill put House Democrats in an awkward position after 114 members of the caucus signed a letter by Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) calling on Republicans to bring a “clean” debt-limit measure to the floor. Many of those Democrats reversed themselves when it became clear that Republicans were granting their request only to see the legislation fail.
Of course it failed, partially because Republicans have the majority in the House, but wholly because it's a ridiculous notion to unconditionally raise the debt ceiling, period. Although this is a good start, the real test will come months from now when we're down to the 11th hour. Then we'll see who's willing to stand on Principle, supported by the majority of Americans in poll after poll, and who will waver with some contrived deal resembling that charade of a 2011 budget that the GOP leadership folded on last month.
“This vote, a vote based on legislation I have introduced, will and must fail,” Camp said in a floor speech. “Now, most members aren’t happy when they bring a bill to the floor and it fails, but I consider defeating an unconditional increase to be a success, because it sends a clear and critical message that the Congress has finally recognized we must immediately begin to rein in America’s affection for deficit spending.”
“This vote, a vote based on legislation I have introduced, will and must fail,” Camp said in a floor speech. “Now, most members aren’t happy when they bring a bill to the floor and it fails, but I consider defeating an unconditional increase to be a success, because it sends a clear and critical message that the Congress has finally recognized we must immediately begin to rein in America’s affection for deficit spending.”
It's definitely about time, but uhh...I'd say it has more to do with 'Congressional affection' as opposed to 'America's affection'. Just saying...
