He's blazing a trail. He's taking a more public role in warning about these issues than his predecessors have. |
In a way, you've left yourself no choice, because the budget, as it turned out, wasn't any better prepared than New Orleans. |
It is clear that the debt limit must be increased. Failure to approve an increase would have dire consequences for government finances and financial markets. Delaying action on an increase until the last possible moment, forcing Treasury to utilize extraordinary measures to avoid a default, is unnecessary and irresponsible. However, under the current fiscal circumstances approving a large-scale increase in the debt limit without a plan to restore fiscal discipline would also be irresponsible. |
It's a lot of bang for not much buck. It doesn't bode well for more substantial deficit-reduction bills that are needed. |
That would undermine the whole concept of fiscal discipline. |
The deficit is like an unhealthy habit. You can keep doing things you know aren't good for you. You know that somewhere down the road you're going to pay a price. But you keep doing those bad things, anyway. |
The Gore approach to budget surpluses is much more prudent; the Bush approach to structural reforms of the entitlement programs is more promising. They have set up a good dichotomy that people can look at. |
The legitimate point is that the trust fund debt is going to continue to go up regardless of budget policy. |
The surpluses put everybody to sleep. |
There's no fiscal restraint right now. Nobody is even thinking about it. |
This could be one of those fiscal crossroads moments. |
This is obviously a very expensive proposition, and it hits in red states, so Republicans will be foremost among those pushing for relief. |
This is where they have to make it all add up, and it doesn't. |
Unanimously, the budget groups in Washington have been calling for offsets, ... But only a few members of Congress seem willing to do it. |
Unanimously, the budget groups in Washington have been calling for offsets. But only a few members of Congress seem willing to do it. |