Poison pill in House debt limit plan would be a hostage taker's dream

[FourScore]

Thu Oct 10, 2013 at 01:30 PM PDT
Poison pill in House debt limit plan would be a hostage taker's dream
by Jed Lewison

Thanks but no thanks, Speaker Boehner

This is completely nuts:

The House Republican plan to extend the debt ceiling for six weeks would permanently ban the Treasury Department from using extraordinary measures to avoid default, congressional aides said.

The provision would ban practices, used by Democratic and Republican administrations for decades, which have effectively allowed the Treasury to limit investments in pensions and other funds when the government bumps up against its borrowing limit. These steps have extended the time that Treasury can continue borrowing and paying the nation’s bills while Congress debates terms for raising the debt ceiling.

This idea is like banning the bomb squad from defusing bombs. There's really nothing subtle about it either: It is a measure with one goal and one goal alone—to make it harder to avoid defaulting on our obligations.

The only people who could possibly like this idea are hostage takers who think having the power to force America into a default gives them leverage in political negotiations. In other words, it's exactly the kind of idea that House Republicans are bound to love.

But if you're sick and tired of the drama of debt limit hostage crises, this idea is not for you. Instead of disarming the debt limit time bomb, it is designed to weaponize the debt limit. It would make things worse, not better. It's an idea that should be dead on arrival.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/10/1246075/-Poison-pill-in-House-debt-limit-plan-would-be-a-hostage-taker-s-dream

[BlueStreak]

1. 2 words: 14th Amendment

Why is Obama putting up with this crap? Just be done with it. Take the gun out the the baby's crib.

[DireStrike]

2. Holy shit.

I know they think the public is gullible, and they're quite often right. But this is just a straight insult to the Ds.

Amazingly brazen.

[summerschild]

3. I am so sick of these fkrs!

This needs a spotlight on every news outlet in the country. The American people need to see how obsessed these lunatics are with putting and keeping our country and economy at risk. They want more ways to taunt and torture. Make them explain to the public why this is of value to them.