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HONOLULU -- President Obama will delay informing Congress of his intention to raise the debt limit, after congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle asked for him to wait to give Congress a chance to come back into session.
Bicameral leaders asked for the delay, because when the president formally informs them of the increase, it starts a 15-day clock for Congress to reject it. The catch: Members are not expected to return to Washington in this time frame; the House returns from vacation on Jan. 17 and the Senate returns on Jan. 23. According to White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, “The administration is in discussions with leaders in both houses to determine the best timing for submission of the certification and any subsequent votes in the two houses.”
It is expected that the House of Representatives will want to vote on a resolution of disapproval of the debt limit increase, but that this would not pass in the Senate -- and the increase would happen as expected.
On Tuesday, the Treasury Department announced that by today, the country would be within $100 billion of the debt ceiling. This requires the president to send a “letter of certification” to Congress to trigger raising the limit by $1.2 trillion.
The process was laid out in this summer's Budget Control Act, the compromise law that allowed the debt limit to be increased after a bitter bipartisan battle.
Delaying the debt limit increase by a few days is not expected to affect the country’s credit rating, according to a senior White House official.
The Treasury Department believes that without using “some extraordinary measures,” the debt ceiling will be reached during the first week of Jan. 2012. However, the measures they will employ will buy Congress some time to respond to the probable debt limit increase.
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I don't know about the rest of you, but this leaves me all warm & fuzzy!
Translated to English; We're gonna throw another hissy fit because we didn't do enough damage to ourselves on the middle class tax cut fiasco! lol
Fiesty,
Is nojo capable of reasoning?
The President considered raising the debt limit while Congress is out of town, but decided against it. Wouldn't it make sense to give him credit for making an effort to do the right thing, rather than criticizing him for what he considered doing?
To me it just proves what I have thought all along: in the eyes of the nojo's and the booby's, he's wrong no matter what he does. They will never, ever give him credit for anything he does.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne* ?
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
All the Scotch leaves you and your bunch "warm and fuzzy". Warm hearts, but fuzzy minds. Sober up and face reality! :) Cheers.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL
Translated to English; We're gonna throw another hissy fit because we didn't do enough damage to ourselves on the middle class tax cut fiasco! lol
Umm... that would be a giant NO!
ODS has left her in a vegetative state! ;o)
The Teapublicans can't win with merit or majority sentiment so have to resort to their non-stop onslaught of far-Right legislation, along with obstructionism and conniving. Democracy requires vigilance, and I for one will not allow my freedoms to be usurped with such machinations. I will have my sword drawn and ready for battle tomorrow. Happy New Year!
It also means the request will come when the electorate is paying attention- rather than celebrating the holidays.
Gee,I wonder why Obama wanted to send the request NOW- when congress is out of town- rather than later- when they're back?
Somebody needs to cut up his credit card. I'm pretty sure that will be the electorate- in eleven or so months.
Obama shelved in 2012.
I think we should play their silly games. Fine, delay the "pro-forma" announcement/vote on debt ceiling increase and instead, use the remaining recess to make some recess apointments.
I hate Congress.
You and about 90% of Americans, Amy B. Republicans haven't quite managed single digit approval yet, but they're still working on it.
These congressional clowns don't return to 'work' until January 17th??? Not that it matters as they don't do much worthwhile even when there.
They are not only the most unpopular Congress, but they truly are useless. The way Congress can set their own work/vacation schedules, needs to change. As it is now, it is an open invitation to abuse and needs to change.
Hi Gingerbread!!! The Congress job is a part time job. Don't they only work three days a week?? And of course their vacations are very long - so typical of most of the United States citizens!!
The [President] doesn't return to 'work' until January 17th??? Not that it matters as [he] doesn't do much worthwhile even when there. [except golf, a lot].
[Obama] is not only the most unpopular [President] , but [he] is truly useless. The way [the President] can set his own work/vacation schedules, needs to change. As it is now, it is an open invitation to abuse and needs to change.
176,000 thousand a year salary, best health-care plan possible, on vacation one third of the year, and you get to vote on your own pay increases, and these people complain about public employee union contracts. It takes some gall, and that is as kindly as I can put it. Vote straight democratic in 2012, friends don't let friends vote republican.
Don't you really mean Forrest that Friends don't let friends vote Democrat-Republican? (I think I'm going to start using the Party's original name since they like to call themselves the party of Jefferson)
The Party of Lincoln needs to stand up and be counted, we've been sitting on our asses keeping our mouths shut way too long!
No I meant democrat Egilmann, it will take years for a viable third party to develop if at all possible with things like the CU decision and the huge influence of big money in politics. I think Ron Paul silently acknowledged this by running as a republican this time instead of an independent or Libertarian. He will destroy the republicans chances next November because he has a growing and dedicated following who will peel off plenty of conservative votes. The problem is even Republicans in Congress would bury his agenda if he was to win the presidency. Any president can only accomplish what Congress will allow them to accomplish, only fools blame Obama or any president exclusively for our problems. The nation needs people in Congress dedicated to the US and all it's citizens, not dedicated to the destruction of a presidency and signed pledges to people like Grover Norquist. People are catching on Egilman, but like said, I think a viable independent third party is still years away, if even possible at all as the system and campaign finance laws now stand. So at this point if you wish to do the most good for the most people Democrats are still your best representation.
Well Forrest of any on here you understand where I am coming from, (I was being facetious about the party name)
I know it will be difficult but I do think we need to change things, the current parties do not have America's interests at heart no matter how much they claim to. (they are too tied to Pac and lobby money to claim true fealty to the common citizen anymore and their legislation is a huge example of that)
There is a lot he can do as president, but on the other hand you are right, he can't do it all by himself.
I think Obama would do a LOT better with a true conservative Congress rather than a congress controlled by either current party. At least there would be honest and open debate.
Fairness and honesty in Washington would solve a lot of our problems, or at least make it possible to begin to solve them.
Bob the most "unpopular" president is going to be re-elected in 2012 because of the most despised Congress in the history of approval rating polls for Congress. You know Bob Obama's approval rating is going up while Congress's continues to go to new record breaking lows, the electorate will not reward republicans with the executive branch, House republicans have insured that the country will take it's frustration out on the republican candidate for president and not president Obama. Welcome come to Waterloo Bob.
Forrest,
i want to take this time to thank you for all your posts on FR. They are always full of passion, thoughtfull analysis and great humor. You are a terrific spokeperson for the working person, union members.
Happy New Year to you and your family. May the new year be full of life for you.
Well Thank You very much Northstar I am flattered, I wish you and your family a very Happy New Year. Unions and their members (which is exactly what the union is it is a group of people and not a separate entity) are not evil as often portrayed by some, they only wish to secure a safe workplace, a fair days wage for a fair days work, health-care insurance, and retirement security for their wives and children, there is nothing evil about that. I tell you one thing no union contract anywhere compares to the deal Congress gets, I sure would like to work under the agreement they think they deserve and have given themselves. The deal Congress has given themselves makes the best union contracts I have ever seen look quite shabby.
Watch the Democratic congressmen and women as stark reality starts to sink in.
"Hey, I might not have this cush job in a year!" WTF??
Watch as the comedy starts to unfold, and the dizzy Dems try to look more Republican (Responsible), and to distance themselves from Obama and his evil minions.
Obama and his evil minions?
Seriously Joe you sound like you read to many comic books.
Maybe a better choice of words would have been "thugs", "cronies" , Chicago/Illinois "criminals", or "freeloaders" ? "Minions" may just encompass all of the above, however, for the sake of brevity. OK, minions, bring it on! :)
Holy Hyperbole Batman!
Wrong Grump.
Paul may peel off a lot of votes in the primaries. For some reason he appeals to the younger set. But there will only be one nominee. That man or woman will garner all the support from all factions.
The media is so news hungry, they will make stuff up just to have something to talk about.
I'm content to let these chips fall as they may. The only true poll is the election.
Like in the "Highlander" There can be only one.
You don't understand Joe, Ron Paul has been asked repeatedly if he will run as an independent if he does not get the republican nomination and he has been consistent in answering that question by saying he will keep that open as an option. His supporters are genuinely idealistic, passionate and motivated, they will not jump on the bandwagon for the republicans because they dislike the current republicans at least, as much as the democrats, and Obama. Ron Paul will not insult them by asking that they support the republican nominee if it is not him, he has no reason to, the republican establishment has given him any support whatsoever. If Paul is not on the ballot, his supporters will simply refuse to vote or will write his name in on the ballot. His supporters are not on a mission to get a republican elected, they are on a mission to get Ron Paul elected. They want to bring about some fundamental changes, they understand it is a huge uphill battle to get him elected, but they are having success at getting a message out even if they don't elect him, they won't throw that away by blindly voting for Mitt Romney because the republican establishment wishes them to do so. They don't give a hoot about the republican establishment they just realized they could have more success working from the inside, instead of being on the outside looking in, and Ron Paul's poll numbers prove they were exactly right about that. They don't support Ron Paul because he is listed as a republican, they support him because of his consistent portrayal of his ideas. Ron Paul spells bigger trouble for republicans than they care to admit, and it exceeds the primaries to be sure.
Forrest, that is a very interesting, and honest, take on Ron Paul supporters. One thing you should consider is that they are not Obama supporters. While they may not be "mainstream" Republicans, more than likely they will vote against the status quo. Which means they will probably vote ABO in 2012. A vote is too valuable to waste. "Holy Hyperbole, Batman" :) LOL !
I think a lot of incumbents on both sides may be in some trouble, the electorate hates this Congress. Ron Paul supporters have written his name in on the ballot in the past, I don't think they feel they are wasting their vote, in as much as they feel they are using it to make a statement. They will cost Obama some votes, but I feel they will cost the republican candidate a much larger portion, because of their incessant rigid positions on social issues and personal freedoms.
Happy New Year PacemParabellum
Forrest, same to you ! I and a few friends voted for Ron Paul in 1988. In my district there was one vote. In my buddy's district there was one vote. In the district housing the local motorcycle club...17 votes for Ron Paul. Brilliant ! Cheers and best of luck !
Now that's original No Joe,
I like that. Obama shelved in 2012.
Has a nice ring to it.