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McConnell announces fallback plan: Let’s give Obama the power to raise the debt ceiling himself
Hot Air ^ | July12 ,2011 | Allahpundit

Posted on 07/12/2011 2:04:58 PM PDT by Hojczyk

Now that the table is set, here’s how the proposed plan would work: Republicans in Congress would agree to vote to authorize the president to propose three separate incremental debt ceiling increases, spaced over the remainder of his term. He would be required to couple each request with a corresponding set of spending cuts that exceed the dollar amount of his sought-after debt limit hike. These cuts would be of his choosing alone. The first pair of requests would come prior to the August 2 deadline. It would be for roughly $700 Billion. The next requests, for $900 Billion, would come in the fall, and the final tranche (also for $900 Billion) would be scheduled for summer of 2012 — in the thick of the campaign cycle.

In all likelihood, on each occasion, Republicans would overwhelmingly vote to disapprove of the president’s debt ceiling increase request. This allows GOP members (and almost certainly some vulnerable Democrats) to technically vote “no” on raising the debt ceiling. If, as is likely, simple majorities in both houses vote to disapprove of the president’s requests, he’d be forced to veto each disapproval, pinging the issue back to Capitol Hill. If Congress can’t override those vetos with 2/3 majorities (and Republicans won’t have the votes, even with some Democrats), the debt ceiling will increase. But not without the exacting a substantial political price from the president and his allies in Congress. They will own the debt ceiling hike. Period. Members of Congress who vote with the president will set themselves up to be targeted by brutal attack ads (“so-and-so has voted to increase the national debt limit three times in the last year alone,” etc).

(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: bipartisan; firefighters; hikes; local; police; socialism; taxes; teachers
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1 posted on 07/12/2011 2:05:02 PM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk

Wow, what a cowardly way to play politics


2 posted on 07/12/2011 2:06:29 PM PDT by Tempest (Ruining the day of corporate butt kissers everywhere.)
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To: Hojczyk
Brilliant plan by the GOP. Obama is solely responsible to raise the debt limit, but he has to show his hand on spending cuts to do it.

What a boomerang!

3 posted on 07/12/2011 2:06:47 PM PDT by Carling (At some point, those surrounding Obama have to realize that they are working for a psychopath)
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To: Hojczyk

If it will speed up the destruction of the country, hussein will be all for it.


4 posted on 07/12/2011 2:07:14 PM PDT by crosshairs (Peace through superior firepower.)
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To: Hojczyk

I would agree that this is all comical event now...with this daily meeting of the President, his staff, the Democrats and the Republicans. Might as well allow the President to raise this on his own, and vote it up or down (would make this shorter in the long-run). If he screws this up...they vote all vote against it.

My guess is that Obama really doesn’t want that kind of authority...he’d just screw up the opportunity.


5 posted on 07/12/2011 2:08:00 PM PDT by pepsionice
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To: Tempest
Cowardly?

This plan is basically the only way the GOP comes out of this unscathed. Lay it all on Obama’s doorstep, and make him give specific details on spending cuts in order to raise the debt ceiling. I think it's a great plan.

6 posted on 07/12/2011 2:08:20 PM PDT by Carling (At some point, those surrounding Obama have to realize that they are working for a psychopath)
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To: Hojczyk

And while we’re at it, let’s just send all the Senators home and let the writers at The Onion write our laws. We may as well put professional jokers in charge...


7 posted on 07/12/2011 2:10:58 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: Tempest

And threatening the elderly ain’t? If he wants it, let him bite it and make him chew it until he chokes.


8 posted on 07/12/2011 2:11:04 PM PDT by MestaMachine (Guns don't kill people, the obama administration does. (Gunwalker Ping List))
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To: Tempest

And threatening the elderly ain’t? If he wants it, let him bite it and make him chew it until he chokes.


9 posted on 07/12/2011 2:11:23 PM PDT by MestaMachine (Guns don't kill people, the obama administration does. (Gunwalker Ping List))
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To: Hojczyk
It is a plan I guess..GOP will cave with the threat to hold Social Security Checks...Obama and Geithner have control of the money
10 posted on 07/12/2011 2:12:14 PM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: bigbob

We should arm the Taliban while we’re at it.


11 posted on 07/12/2011 2:13:01 PM PDT by WOBBLY BOB ( "I don't want the majority if we don't stand for something"- Jim Demint)
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To: crosshairs
If it will speed up the destruction of the country, hussein will be all for it.

At this point I'm convinced we're like an alcoholic... we need to hit bottom before we can start our recovery. This ought to help in that regard.

12 posted on 07/12/2011 2:15:12 PM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: Carling
Without knowing all the details, I agree. I think the dems own the economy completely in the next election and they cannot blame the republicans on the economy slipping back into recession because of no debt deal. I want Obama having to make the hard choices, he has voted present to many times. I would enjoy watching the Tea Party voting present on this and making Obama lead for once...
13 posted on 07/12/2011 2:15:19 PM PDT by fatez ("If you're going through Hell, keep going." Winston Churchill)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

How about we DEarm them. Note, DEarm is not the same as DISarm.


14 posted on 07/12/2011 2:15:51 PM PDT by MestaMachine (Guns don't kill people, the obama administration does. (Gunwalker Ping List))
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To: Carling

Brilliant plan by the GOP.

Are you being sarcastic?? The democrats will prevent either body from reaching the two thirds to prevent the debt ceiling from rising and even if they do, the president will veto it.

This is just a way for the Congress to not have to do what it knew it was going to do anyway but didn’t want to take the heat for.


15 posted on 07/12/2011 2:16:42 PM PDT by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706
No, I'm not being sarcastic. This places the responsibility with Obama, and he can either choose to make specific cuts, or he doesn't and gets no escalation of the debt ceiling.

Do you have a better idea, at least in terms of politics, for the GOP? This is the only way to hold Barry's feet to the fire and finally make him show his cards. He blew it today with his threat to withhold SS checks, and putting him in charge of the debt ceiling is the combo punch.

16 posted on 07/12/2011 2:20:44 PM PDT by Carling (At some point, those surrounding Obama have to realize that they are working for a psychopath)
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To: Hojczyk

Personally, I like the idea of making Obama (and lots of Rats in the House and Senate) eat not one, not two, but THREE sh*t sandwiches on the way to the Nov 2012 elections.


17 posted on 07/12/2011 2:22:56 PM PDT by Califelephant
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To: Hojczyk
The Senator from Rome has the floor !

“Render unto Caesar the things which are not Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are not God’s”

18 posted on 07/12/2011 2:26:43 PM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: Carling

Then you’re a fool. The power to borrow money constitutionally rests with the Congress. They should not take their own responsibility and place it with Obama, who will obviously abuse it. There is no check with this plan. Obama gets his increase unless the congress gets a two-thirds majority to stop it (which would never happen). And then Obama would veto it if it did.

Yes I have a better plan in terms of politics. Let the phony August date pass, just like the phoney May date and force Obama to prioritize spending. If we spend 2.6 trillion this year, there’s no need to borrow any more money.


19 posted on 07/12/2011 2:29:10 PM PDT by cotton1706
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To: Carling
This is the only way to hold Barry's feet to the fire and finally make him show his cards.

Dude, this man has been giving military weapons to the Mexican drug cartels. Do you need any more evidence of what kind of cards this man holds ?

20 posted on 07/12/2011 2:29:55 PM PDT by justa-hairyape
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