Obama should take the McConnell plan and then cut every bloated defense project

[Renew Deal]

and subsidy that helps Kentucky he can find.

[FSogol]

1. K & R. n/t

[emulatorloo]

2. See TPM on this, not that simple. I think This McConnell thing is a TRAP.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/the-big-blink-mcconnell-proposes-giving-obama-authority-to-raise-debt-limit-alone.php

The plan would require Congress to pass a bill allowing Obama to raise the debt limit on his own, contingent on a series of steps: Obama would have to notify Congress of his intent tor raise the debt limit -- a high-sign to Congress that would be subject to an official censure known as a "resolution of disapproval," and which Obama could veto. If he vetoed the resolution, and if Congress sustained the veto, then Obama would also have to outline a series of hypothetical spending cuts he'd make, equal to the amount of new debt authority he'd give himself. Only then would the Treasury be allowed to issue new debt.

McConnell proposes rolling out this process in three tranches, to force Obama to request more borrowing authority, and to force debt limit votes in Congress, repeatedly through election season.

[Poll_Blind]

3. The big assumption you make there is that he'd want to. Look at his latest defense budget:

They upped the defense budget by $17 billion dollars, still $9 billion less than the President sought.

PB

[Renew Deal]

6. There's always 1 or 2 very expensive projects to get rid of.

They know where the bodies are buried. ;)

[KittyWampus]

4. The House wouldn't let it pass. Sorry

[DefenseLawyer]

5. Yeah that's just what he'll do.

Right before he nationalizes the banks.

[Renew Deal]

7. Off to the FEMA camps with you!

:D

[spanone]

8. he should not. it would be HIS tax increase. he should not.

[ProSense]

9. That's not

how the deal would work. It's a face-saving proposal for Republicans to have more opportunities to repeat their lunacy.

[Xipe Totec]

10. This used to be possible; it was called Presidential Impoundment

The president does not have the power to refuse spending money allocated by congress anymore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impoundment_of_appropriated_funds

So the next time anybody complains about the President spending money like a drunken sailor, remind them of who the real spendthrifts are.