Morning Bell: The Debt Is Not a Game, Mr. President

Mike Brownfield / June 01, 2011

Well, President Obama asked for it. And last night he got it in grand fashion—a “clean vote” on raising the nation’s debt limit, free of any of the desperately needed spending cuts that Americans are demanding, conservatives support, but liberals abhor. And by a 318–97 margin, the House of Representatives shot down the President’s effort to authorize $2.4 trillion in additional borrowing by the federal government without condition.

The vote was introduced by the House Republican majority to send a message to the President in advance of their meeting today at the White House: There cannot be more borrowing and spending without significant spending cuts and reforms. But when asked yesterday about the vote, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney merely said, “It’s fine. It’s fine,” and assured reporters that President Obama will “definitely” win the debt limit fight. Meanwhile, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) decried the vote, calling it a “political charade” and a “30-second ad attack.” Rep. Hoyer and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) then joined Republicans and voted against President Obama’s wishes.

Unfortunately, all is not fine, this is not a game, and what the White House and congressional Democrats view as nettlesome roadblocks to the continued growth of government is a movement to at long last restore sanity to the federal government amid a fiscal crisis. And that movement is occurring in the utter vacuum of leadership centered at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. (more…)