Tag: Debt Ceiling
Schatz: Debt Ceiling Will ‘Resolve Itself’
“I am predicting, with absolute certainty, it will resolve itself uneventfully. Because it always does.”
— Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), quoted by Politico, on the debt ceiling standoff.
The Looming Republican Rebellion
“I think there’s going to be a rebellion against everybody, not just leadership. If we get to December and we’ve not repealed Obamacare, don’t build the wall… it’s not going to be pretty.”
— Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), quoted by Axios.
Six GOP Senators Changed Vote on Debt Ceiling Issue
6
Number of Senate Republicans who switched from ‘nay’ to ‘aye’ on the critical vote allowing the nation’s debt limit to be extended, a copy of the official Senate vote tally sheet provided to Roll Call suggests. “The tally sheet is the only record of which senators may have switched their votes because the Senate clerk — in a break with tradition — didn’t name names during the nearly hourlong vote. Capitol Hill reporters are protesting that change, still within the rules, as lacking transparency.”
Boehner Is Pragmatic — In Secret
There’s no sense picking a fight we can’t win.
— Speaker John Boehner, quoted by Roll Call, in a private GOP conference meeting on raising the debt ceiling.
If It Defaults, the Government Won’t Run Out of Money Tomorrow
$36.5 billion
Amount the Federal Treasury will have on hand to pay its bills if the debt ceiling isn’t lifted by Oct. 17. Revenues and cash reserves will probably cover the $12 billion of social security payments due Oct. 23 and the $3 billion of Federal salaries due on Oct. 25. But they may not cover the $6 billion of debt interest payments due on Oct. 31 and almost certainly won’t cover the $57 billion of social security, Medicare, military and income support payments due on Nov. 1, according to FT Alphaville.
It’s Better to Preserve Than Try to Restore Credit
Credit worthiness is like virginity, it can be preserved but not restored very easily, so it is crazy to play around with it.
— Warren Buffett, in an interview on CNBC.
I Really Want to Buy Into This Slate Pitch, But …
I’m not sure I can swallow the assertion that Barack Obama is the shrewdest political tactician since LBJ, but David Corn does make a compelling case, and I really do want to believe that all this time Obama knew exactly what he was doing on Syria, Putin and the debt showdown.
I suppose he’s just being Lincoln-esque. Again …
Do you buy the pitch?