Fitch again warns U.S. debt burden threatens AAA rating

IBTimes ^ | December 21, 2011 | Daniel Bases

[Idabilly]

Fitch, when it lowered its outlook to negative, had said it was giving the U.S. government until 2013 to come up with a "credible plan" to tackle its ballooning budget deficit or risk a downgrade from the AAA status.

"A key task of an incoming Congress and administration in 2013 is to formulate a credible plan to reduce the budget deficit and stabilize the federal debt burden. Without such a strategy, the sovereign rating will likely be lowered by the end of 2013," Fitch reiterated.

Rival ratings agency Standard & Poor's cut its credit rating on the United States to AA-plus from AAA on August 5, citing concerns over the government's budget deficit and rising debt burden as well as the political gridlock that nearly led to a default.

On November 23, Moody's Investors Service, warned that its top level Aaa credit rating for the United States could be in jeopardy if lawmakers were to backtrack on $1.2 trillion in automatic deficit cuts that are set to be made over 10 years.

The plan for automatic cuts was triggered after the special congressional committee failed to reach an agreement on deficit reduction. Moody's said any pullback from the agreed automatic cuts to take effect starting in 2013 could prompt it to take action.

[rbg81]

“A key task of an incoming Congress and administration in 2013 is to formulate a credible plan to reduce the budget deficit and stabilize the federal debt burden. Without such a strategy, the sovereign rating will likely be lowered by the end of 2013,” Fitch reiterated.

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Ha! That’s rich. It’s not gonna happen—period. The more likely scenario is that the rating agency execs will be shipped off to Gitmo for “financial terrorism” and/or treason. The rating will stay at AAA regardless of what the facts are.

[Principled]

So let’s go ahead and reduce funding for our most expensive and most cash-strapped program by 14%.

[Idabilly]

The rating will stay at AAA regardless of what the facts are.

:) Lend my money to burger king or the United States Government? I'll pick the hamburger bond!

[Teotwawki]

I know we have huge deficit spending, but don’t you need a budget first before you can call it a budget deficit? What’s it been, going on three years now since they even bothered with a budget?