DEBT LIMIT

Congress Approves Temporary Debt Ceiling Suspension

Senate passes the bill Obama is expected to sign

Jan 31, 2013 by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t +

Image: AP

A plan to suspend the national debt-limit for three months to avoid a government default has now passed both chambers of Congress and awaits approval by President Obama.

By a vote of 64-34, the Senate approved the measure that suspends the debt-ceiling until mid-May and withholds the salaries of lawmakers if Congress does not pass a budget by April 15. The House passed its version of the bill last week. Obama had said he would not block the temporary fix, the Washington Post reports

The nation reached the $16.4 trillion limit on Dec. 31 and the treasury department has been taking extraordinary measures to extend the time before defaulting, which could have happened by mid-February.

Via the Washington Post

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?	Do you welcome this temporary fix?

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Yes, it's a good solution

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No, it sets up another crisis

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It gives up leverage

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It's the best we could do

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46 Comments (view in Forum)

Jan '13

hankf68

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none of the above!
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Jan '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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Am I criticizing still yet another conservative? I can't believe how Boehner buckled under the pressure and agreed to pass obama's agenda. This is what I mean by you can't trust either party.
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Jan '13

ctc

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I'm confused...so who's the RINO.....you or him??
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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Admit it, Neo. The only time you criticize conservatives is when they are not, in your view, conservative enough.
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Jan '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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@Denizen_Kate - Not true:

http://politix.topix.com/stmt/7KNDDD4SSEJIB7Q...
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Jan '13

PNWest

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@Neo_NtheMatrix Holy Moly! I can't believe it! Good job Neo, very good job.
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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@Neo_NtheMatrix - Good for you, Neo! I'm proud of you, giving us all a glimpse of your sensible side. I like this version of Neo_NtheMatrix! More please!:)
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Jan '13

Souljah

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its a sign of some sort of compromise..now if only these decision could actually help REDUCE our debt they'd really be earning their Paychecks, including Obama!!
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Jan '13

Bobolinsky

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Too late for any sense like you are talking. The Tea Party has already been declared racist. iow- REDUCING our debt is "racist."

I know you're a "deficit hawk" and I appreciate that. I'm thinking back to a conversation we had awhile ago...

"I suggest that one place to look for an explanation for the plight of all of the poor and especially the urban poor of all skin colors... They all have the same problems... failing schools, bankrupt cities, high cost of living, drugs, gangs, crime, government dependency... I'd look at the Great Society."
http://politix.topix.com/stmt/2USFTTNG01HAMAA...

I'm going to jump to the conclusion that you agree with me that the Great Society policies of LBJ figure more into the current deterioration of poor communities than slavery.

All I'm saying is that if you care more about the prosperity of your descendants than you care about whether they are successful because of their skin color then moving ur economy towards more economic freedom should be your goal as opposed to Government deciding those things for us.
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Feb '13

Souljah

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@Bobolinsky I agree..and I think there may be too many special interest lobby's embedded in our gov's framework for them to make decisions that cut spending at this point. why else would they continue this madness? anyone in their right mind knows that the best way to cut over spending is to lessen your expenses, but every politician has some special interest groups hand up their butts working the mouth for these puppets.
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Jan '13

Raptor

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Here we go yet once again, in a perpetual fight for something that should be done no more the one time a year.Dysfunctionality at its zenith!
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Jan '13

Bobolinsky

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Dysfunctionality... that's a very appropriate word for the functionality of our current Government.

How else could you describe a Government that hasn't passed a budget since 2009?
How else would you describe a Government that claims that we don't have a spending problem when we're borrowing 1 out of every 3 dollars we spend?
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Jan '13

bsking

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How about that.. so we don't have a spending problem for least another 3 months... well I hope they splurge on something nice to celebrate
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Jan '13

lawnmowrman

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No Budget No Pay should include the salary and all of the perks. There is no way Congress will be able to pass and reconcile a budget by April 15th or May 15th of November 15th.
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Jan '13

Canoochee

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According to my new friend harold, the amount of wealth in this country is finite. So sooner or later the government can spend no more because in harold's world there will be no more to spend.
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Jan '13

scotta

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That is because the leader is a spineless lap dog for Obama. He is a R.I.N.O. I hope his home state give him a pink slip. And elects a man with a set of nuts
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Jan '13

RiversideRed

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How can I get them assholes to buy me a $600 toilet?
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Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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Only $600 butts get the $600 toilets! As for you.....$25.99 plus tax!
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Feb '13

RiversideRed

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@stepped_in_it sold!
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Jan '13

marine1

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These people have to be the undisputed sad asses of donkeville.
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Jan '13

Wafflecone

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I wonder how much the House Leader wasted on those "NO BUDGET NO PAY" signs?
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Jan '13

kathyparsell

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Don't worry about things like that, we have politicians from every state and territory representing us!
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Jan '13

Oneness3am_i

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But we as A Nation have More Mountains 2 climb and with Determination there is None High enough
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Jan '13

Oneness3am_i

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Roll Up Your sleeves 2
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Jan '13

Jackie312gm

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I'm just going to sit back for 3 months and just relax.....by sticking 8 inch needles into my eye....balls! We are headed the down the same way ROME did..........
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Jan '13

CaryNickel

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Our phony "public servants" are once again kicking the can down the road. It's government by crisis...over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. Do the dolts in Washington D.C. actually wonder why the general public is disenchanted, disconnected, and disenfranchised?
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Jan '13

Vance1

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The nation reached the $16.4 trillion limit on Dec. 31
GEE Thanks Obama people
Bankrupted America
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Jan '13

SignifiedNBlue

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I didnt answer on any because Im not a part of the, we. They are morons. Besides Im waiting for Odummy to use his executive powers and stick his tongue out and say, nah nah boo boo we are not paying our debt lol
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Jan '13

Bobolinsky

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I tried that once... The judge said... in effect..., "Screw You! Pay us!"

Now... I'm not going to argue with you about the concept of a neighborhood bully being able to say, "Screw You!" to the rest of their neighborhood and being able to get away with it because they had some "inside connections"... They're always going to figure out a way to work the system no matter what. My contention is that honest citizens should be able to obey the law and compete with the dishonest assholes.

It's just that I think that you would be better served by lending your support to fiscal conservatives than social liberals. I'd be happy to go into the details if you want.

It's just that the more people that see that skin-color has less to do with anyone's personal success than that person's personal attributes... the better we all would be.
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@Bobolinsky Post
Jan '13

SignifiedNBlue

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@Bobolinsky I am absoluty not against Odummy for his skin color..for one thing hes half white. There are MANY reasons. Starting right from the begining..he had NO experience. Never even balanced a budget. Hes arrogance. His inability, refusal to be upfront about his actual birthplace, his association with William Aires, a Pentagon bomber, Rev Wright, the radical idiot.. And the last four years? My suspicion was correct. Hes a socialist, welfare mindset, communist.. Everyone knows, ask Vilidmire Putin, every successful socialist country IS communism!
So my (above ) statement is far from far-fetched. In fact, right on the money (pun intended)
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@SignifiedNBlue Post
Jan '13

SignifiedNBlue

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BTW I used to be democrat. The reason why I jumped to the other side.. Easy, after watching the Democratic party trash Hillary in the primaries , trash Sarah Palin..that was it for me. I lost respect for Hillary when she coward to Obama AFTER the low down, underhanded crap Obama was doing! Its about self respect, dignity and what you will do for a party.. Instead of standing up for whats RIGHT.
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@SignifiedNBlue Post
Feb '13

Bobolinsky

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@SignifiedNBlue_ I'm not arguing with you about the Constitutionality of any phrase or statement made by a President because of his skin color. Every statement needs to be assessed according to the times. That's why I don't jump to the conclusion that Lefties aren't in favor of jumping to "hate" conclusions... I jump to that conclusion because Lefties are best at demonstrating the deficiencies of the 2nd Amendment... They have the most to lose.

The fact is that I have no choice but to jump to the conclusion that government doesn't have our own best interest at heart less than individuals do.
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@Bobolinsky Post
Feb '13

SignifiedNBlue

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@Bobolinsky agreed. I dont believe theres been an adminstration that has in many decades. Just to different degrees. And this one is down right pathetic . He is in the WH on his own personal agenda..nothing more, nothing less. Its creepy just how much ignorance that fills the USA populus..
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@SignifiedNBlue Post
Jan '13

ConserveUSA

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Nothing surprises me as to what happens in Washington DC.
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Jan '13

Bobolinsky

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This could turn out quite nicely though I'm not holding my breath.

If we all agree on the premise that all politicians are in it for their own gain then even the paltry sum that Congressmen are paid for their... "service"... then withholding that "paltry sum" should send a message. I would expect Dingy Harry to be much more amicable to bringing to the Senate floor and allowing debate on a Budget if failure to pass said Budget would result in him losing personal wealth.

Maybe if we legalized bribes but arranged things such that "bribes" and "lonnying" were synonymous...

But in order to preserve "freedom", we would have to bring "bribery" into line with "lobbying" and that's a hard sell to the people that think that the answer to any problem is Government.
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Feb '13

TBToyia

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Not only is it a bad idea, but its also another huge setup for the American People.. do you really think these politicians are going to allow this to just be "Temporary" ..this is a "foot in the door" approach to what is coming..and that is raising the dept ceiling permanently !!
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Feb '13

cpier14

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Proves they are all more interested in party and reelection than making tough decisions and solving problems to save the country and telling people what they need to hear as opposed to what makes them feel warm and cozy
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Do you welcome this temporary fix?

Do you welcome this temporary fix?