Posted on 01/27/2011 10:47:59 AM PST by jazusamo
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a founding member of the Senate's Tea Party Caucus, has pledged to filibuster legislation to increase the debt ceiling.
Lee said a filibuster could be averted only if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and GOP leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) reach an agreement to pass a balanced-budget amendment through the Senate.
"I'm against raising the debt ceiling and so I'm resisting it," Lee said after the inaugural meeting of the Senate Tea Party Caucus in the Hart building on Thursday morning.
"The only scenario in which I can imagine not using the filibuster is if the leadership of both parties agree that as a condition of that they would first pass out a balanced-budget amendment."
A senior Senate Republican aide said unless Congress votes to increase the debt limit by $2 trillion next month, Congress may have to vote two more times this year to increase the federal government's authority to borrow.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has also said he will oppose legislation to raise the debt limit unless the Senate first passes a balanced-budget amendment. Passage of the amendment would need support from two-thirds of the Senate.
Such an amendment, which would require the federal government to balance its books annually, would not take effect for several years in order to give states time to ratify the amendment.
Senate aides say they expect a balanced-budget amendment could pass the House. It failed to pass the Senate by a single vote in the past.
Senate GOP aides say a promise from leaders to merely allow a vote on the balanced budget amendment would not be sufficient to win over conservatives such as DeMint and Lee.
Every effort to stop this out of control socialist train is much appreciated. Good job Mr. Lee / Mr. DeMint.
The GOP is to busy sitting with the enemy holding hands and singing kum by ya, you go Mike!
Except there is no filibuster (or filibuster rule) in the House, and hasn’t been since the 19th century. Only in the Senate. Really is a freshman, isn’t he?
Get er done ASAP.
I hope there are no exceptions, including war or a declared emergency. We have dozens of “wars” and “emergencies” declared all the time.
Never mind. Why did I think he was in the House?
Mike Lee is a Senator
He’s going to walk on over there and filibuster that house!
"I'm against raising the debt ceiling and so I'm resisting it," Lee said after the inaugural meeting of the Senate Tea Party Caucus in the Hart building on Thursday morning.
As long as he does it “with civility”, the MSM should have nothing to complain about.
See number 7. Duh. I am getting my Lees confused.
Where would Senator Lee cut $1.5 trillion from this year’s budget? Not $1.5 trillion over X number of years, but $1.5 trillion from this years expenditures. I would be interested in hearing his proposal.
I really really really want the government to shut down. If for no other reason than pure entertainment. we are heading into sweeps month after all.
Mike Lee is in the Senate.
Yep. Slow down this train to hell until we can actually throw things in reverse.
Nah, if he does it “with civility” the enemedia will just say he’s a civil partisan instead of a radical one. :)
Not to be confused with Sheila Jackson Lee
Now you are being mean to poor, lil ol’ me.
lol.
Sorry. :p
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