U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.) is pushing a proposal to raise the federal debt ceiling by as much as $1.5 trillion – the largest hike in American history and the second increase in ten months.
Like common credit card theives, lawmakers have already spent the money they intend to “borrow,” of course, part of a record $1.5 trillion budget deficit and soaring $12 trillion debt they have dumped on the American taxpayers.
For more information on the debt ceiling issue, click here.
The timing and amount of this request is every bit as noteworthy as the amount.
Spratt and Democratic Majority Leader Stony Hoyer (D-Maryland) are attempting to push through a larger increase in the debt ceiling – which has more than doubled over the last seven years – in an effort to prevent Congress from having to raise it again prior to the 2010 elections.
Obviously, it wouldn’t do for vulnerable incumbents (like Spratt) to have to go on the record borrowing more taxpayer money right before voters go to the polls, and borrowing a larger amount sooner prevents them from having to do so.
Spratt’s opponent, State Sen. Mick Mulvaney, pounced on both the increase and the suspicious timing.
“It’s bad enough that Mr. Spratt wants to saddle future generations with record-breaking debt,” Mulvaney said in a statement posted to his website, “but for him to conspire with Speaker Pelosi to ram a second increase through, and do so in order to avoid tough votes with an eye towards next year’s elections is unconscionable.”
“For years we’ve heard about John Spratt’s passion and concern about federal deficits and the national debt,” Mulvaney added. “If he is truly concerned about either, he’ll walk into Speaker Pelosi’s office, demand that Congress stop spending money we don’t have and offer a plan that cuts federal spending.”
Spratt – a fourteen-term incumbent – is already in hot water in his district.
Specifically, he come under fire for his controversial vote to pass a $1.2 trillion (some say $2.6 trillion) socialized medicine proposal – the top priority of President Barack Obama. He has also been criticized for supporting Obama’s proposed energy tax hike, known as “Cap & Tax,” as well as numerous other fiscally reckless federal legislation, including both of the recent federal bailouts.
Interestingly, sources in Washington tell FITS that Spratt was one of at least 60 democratic House members to request a pass on voting in favor of Obamacare, but that Speaker Nancy Pelosi rebuffed him.
Specifically, Pelosi is alleged to have threatened Spratt with the loss of his position as Chairman of the House Budget Committee if he voted against the measure, which passed by the narrowest of margins.
Spratt’s constituents strenuously voiced their objections to Obamacare during a series of town hall meetings earlier this year (click here and here) – public hearings at which the Congressman appeared dazed and confused.
By laney December 8, 2009 at 9:08 am
Princess Pelosi will get whatever Princess Pelosi wants.
She’s more powerful than Obama.
By Elmer December 8, 2009 at 9:42 am
Suggesting a raising of the debt ceiling should qualify for impeachment. Be an adult and balance the dam budget.
By Ringo Martin December 8, 2009 at 10:20 am
Some things just don’t change and John Spratt is one of them. I changed and started putting my vote on who ever I thought would do the best job, did not make any difference which party they were with. Now as things change and I have changed too, I will never vote for John Spratt again. Sorry Mr. Die in the Wool Democrat Spratt, you have lost my vote.
By Liberty For Me December 8, 2009 at 11:09 am
Sounds like a great idea…If you are communist chinese and want to own even more of the U.S….What a traitor!!
By OhNoNotAgain December 8, 2009 at 11:30 am
Just remember that every time the debt ceiling is raised, it’s an “unprecedented” raise.
So every time it went up during Bush’s years, it was “unprecedented.”
Since we’ve never lowered our debt ceiling, it’s always going to be higher than the last one.
I’m terrified by it, but I do think some language is being used to score political, not practical points.
By fitsnews December 8, 2009 at 12:10 pm
OhNoNotAgain,
Incorrect. The proposed increase of $1.5 trillion would be the largest single increase of the debt ceiling in U.S. history.
You see, we are not talking about the $13.6 trillion figure the increase would result in (although that’s unprecedented, too), we’re talking exclusively about the size of the increase itself.
Thanks for giving us the opportunity to clarify, though.
-FITS
By laney December 8, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Nice combover, Mr. Spratt.
By Ynot December 8, 2009 at 12:33 pm
which has more than doubled over the last seven years
hmmmmm who was in charge for six of those seven years?
Bushieboy.
By 2 cents December 8, 2009 at 2:02 pm
While he’s pushing for this, his constituents, in large numbers, are pushing him out the door.
By Pat Hendrix December 8, 2009 at 2:37 pm
You’re right, the party is over – time to raise taxes, cut discretionary spending and curb entitlements. But I’d wait until we come out of the worst economic downturn in 70 years before doing it. Better yet, maybe we can get the Republicans back in charge of the deficit. It’s not like they took a massive surplus and turned it into a systemic, annual trillion dollar deficit while putting the economy in a ditch.
Oh right.
By countryboy December 8, 2009 at 3:06 pm
When Spratt first ran for office, it is a fact that one of his main goals was eliminating the deficit. How far he has fallen. He has come full circle to being a Pelosi liberal, in direct contrast to his constituents. Time to send his fat ass back to Rock Hill for good.
By Pat Hendrix December 8, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Countryboy,
We had a balance budget – you know, before Bush. Spratt was involved in all those budget negotiations.
The sad fact is that we didn’t get here by Pelosi alone. Though she shares much of the blame. We got here by cutting taxes, fighting wars and increasingly entitlement spending while running the economy into the ground. Recipe for disaster. Or we can blame it welfare or Acorn. Whatever is easier.
And he’s from York, not Rock Hill.
By countryboy December 8, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Or maybe it’s York. Anyhow, he’s been in DC so long that’s his home.
By OhNoNotAgain December 8, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Spratt can’t use that as an out on all of this. Much as I like him.
The House has been Democratic since the 2006 mid-terms. The budget originates there.
By Steve Ewankowich December 8, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Stop the madness – Do not raise the debt ceiling!
By theo December 8, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Thanks for history lesson Mr. Hendricks.
I understand the Democrats have owned Congress since 2006 and thus have controlled the purse strings.
I don’t recall any attempt by the Democrats to balance the budget over the past three years.
I understand, however, that Mr. Obama has increased the national debt more in 1 year than President Bush in 8 years.
By TheBadger December 8, 2009 at 11:10 pm
What we need are a balanced budget amendment and a term limits amendment to prevent this kind of nonsense. Congress will never pass these, though, because they like spending our money to help themselves get reelected, and they don’t want to vote themselves out of office.
Article V of the Constitution lets the states circumvent Congress to get amendments passed. All we need are 2/3 of the state legislatures to request a constitutional convention to propose amendments. I found a website called FixitTogether.org that is trying to get the state legislatures to do this. Check it out!
By Pat Hendrix December 9, 2009 at 11:44 am
Theo,
Your numbers, not surprisingly, are totally wrong. First, the previous knuckleheads left a systemic deficit that will require a cut in entitlements, discretionary spending and tax hikes. And Obama has not written a budget yet – the 2009 budget was done during the previous administration. And even if he had, the budget deficit is 1.7 (including half of which was TARP proposed and passed the previous administration) – Bush added over 5 billion in his first seven year and left a 1.3 deficit in is final budget. Learn read. Learn to count.
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