Raising the debt limit?

[tiger8mush]

I don't know a lot about politics, but seems the older I get the more interested I'm becoming. Below is a snipet I was sent in an email:

From Sen. Obama’s Floor Speech, March 20, 2006: The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better

If he said that back then, then he obviously knew our debt was an issue well before the deadline of the debt ceiling. He spoke about leadership, yet while in office our debt has continued to climb. Why wasn't action taken sooner (like his first year in office) so that we wouldn't continue running the gov't at a defecit? Or did he try and it just didn't work out for some reason?

I'm not saying this is or isn't Obama's fault, I'm just trying to learn.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

I don't know a lot about politics, but seems the older I get the more interested I'm becoming. Below is a snipet I was sent in an email:

From Sen. Obama’s Floor Speech, March 20, 2006: The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better

If he said that back then, then he obviously knew our debt was an issue well before the deadline of the debt ceiling. He spoke about leadership, yet while in office our debt has continued to climb. Why wasn't action taken sooner (like his first year in office) so that we wouldn't continue running the gov't at a defecit? Or did he try and it just didn't work out for some reason?

I'm not saying this is or isn't Obama's fault, I'm just trying to learn.

Yes, as a newly elected senator Obama did say exactly that. He backed up his words by voting to refuse to raise the debt limit when Bush was President. Funny how it all changes when the shoe is on the other foot. He is also on record (you can find it on YouTube) in a recent interview with George Stephanopoulos admitting that his vote back then was purely political and also apologized.

There are many others on the left who are also on record with very similar comments in 2006, but since have also flip-flopped. Harry Reid is another that voted not to raise the debt limit when Bush was in office, but for some reason has since changed his mind. Here are his own words, “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m kinda embarrassed I did. It was a political maneuver by we Democrats. The Republicans were in power — there were more of them. The president voted when he was in the Senate the same way. I heard him apologize for it. We all should take a look at how we handle these issues, but that doesn’t take into consideration the numerous times, the numerous times I voted to raise the debt ceiling. The one time I tried to make a political issue of it, I wish I hadn’t.”

In other words, both Obama and Reid admitted politics were more important than country. Don’t take my word for it – look it up yourself.

Edited to add: And for the record, I blame BOTH parties for this economic mess. Instead of fixing the problem, both parties want to play politics.

[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Edited to add: And for the record, I blame BOTH parties for this economic mess. Instead of fixing the problem, both parties want to play politics.

Amen Brother!

[teetwoohsix]

Originally Posted by ibuysportsephemera

Amen Brother!

I second that !!!

And just a few months ago we were hearing this..........

http://dailybail.com/home/geithner-n...ting-ever.html

[vintagetoppsguy]

After 900+ days in office, Obama finally has a plan to reduce unemployment and boost the economy. He’s going to grace us with this big announcement… next month (after his much needed vacation). Yippee! Just like Chris Mathews, I feel a thrill going up my leg.

[Leon]

Hey Guys
While we have rules against discussing politics I think I can (I hope) go a head and give one freebie and let ya'll discuss it in this thread. IF it spills over into any other thread you will be given a warning and then something more severe if it doesn't stop. As we know, I never really had an issue with discussing politics, but the board voted "no" to them. However, I have a feeling many that voted no probably don't even participate here in the Lounge, so I see no probs with allowing this thread to continue. Just try to keep it civil and professional please.

And my 1/2 cent. While I still like Obama as a person, and I wish he could have gotten our country on the right track, it seems he has been very ineffective. I think his lack of experience in running a business, or governmental business, is showing.

...best regards

[vintagetoppsguy]

Thanks, Leon. I agree with you about Obama, and the fact of the matter is he just didn't get the economy back on track (and to think he'll do so in the next 15 months before the election is absurd). I believe that he inherited a mess from Bush, but blaming Bush at this point is just ridiculous. He's been in office long enough that it's HIS responsibility now - not Bush's, not the Arab Spring, not the natural disasters - it's BHO's problem.

I don't know of any job in the world where we could blame our predecessor from two and a half years ago for the current problems in our position today. If I tried that at my job I would probably be fired.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

After 900+ days in office, Obama finally has a plan to reduce unemployment and boost the economy. He’s going to grace us with this big announcement… next month (after his much needed vacation). Yippee! Just like Chris Mathews, I feel a thrill going up my leg.

Looks like Obama has scheduled his jobs speech for next Wednesday night...the same night as the Republican debate. Very classy.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Speaking of raising the debt limit, I found this video on Youtube from 2008 where Obama calls Bush unpatriotic for adding $4 Trillion in debt during his 8 years in office. Funny how Obama has already incurred that same amount in only two and a half years. That big eared moron has no right to call anybody unpatriotic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kuTG19Cu_Q