[WOSG]

A meaningful pledge would be simply “We see no cause to raise the debt ceiling; cuts must be made to work within the already over-generous existing debt ceiling.”

NOPE. That is NOT meaningful. You havent done the math or you are advocating an instant 44% reduction in Govt spending, which is impossible since entitlements + debt payments alone are above that.

And no Republican is calling for such sudden and drastic spending, AND it would have to pass AS A BUDGET and not merely a refusal to increase the debt.

In the end, the cap cut balance pledge is the BEST we could do. We either do it or we will end up with a lesser result.

[editor-surveyor]

Thanks for weighing in, Barack!