Senator Lee to Filibuster Raise of Debt Ceiling

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Government spending is out of control, and the federal government, rather than cut spending, would prefer to increase its levels. However, simply put, we are out of money. The current level of spending is unsustainable. This president has increased spending more than all past presidents, combined. These people can't seem to keep themselves from increasing spending, so we have to force them to stop. The best form of rehabilitation for these spend-a-holics is for them to quit increasing spending cold turkey, and one of the steps to accomplishing that would be to not increase the debt ceiling. However, the political establishment does not have the self-discipline to do this, and are currently debating over increasing deficit spending. The liberal left and the establishment Republicans wish to increase the debt limit above its current $14.3 trillion level in order to enable an increase in spending.

The GOP, however, partially listening to the voters, plans to make a compromise. If the Democrats are willing to cut some spending, they will allow the debt limit to increase. But isn't that a contradiction? Cut spending, and we'll let you spend more, is essentially the offer.

Tea Party Caucus members, largely comprised of the freshmen Congressmembers that were elected last November, say that they will not be on board with an increase to the debt limit. Of those Tea Party freshmen, Senator Mike Lee of Utah is leading the charge, promising to filibuster legislation proposed that is intended to increase the debt ceiling. The only way he will relax his stance at all, according to Lee, is if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell agree to a balanced-budget amendment, which would make it the law of the land that they balance their budget each year.

“I'm against raising the debt ceiling, and so I'm resisting it," Lee said after the first meeting of the Tea Party Caucus Thursday. "The only scenario in which I can imagine not using the filibuster is if the leadership of both parties agrees that as a condition of that they would first pass out a balanced-budget amendment."

Although I can see Lee's position, I am a firm believer that the debt limit should not be raised for any reason.

I understand the argument that if the debt ceiling isn't raised the government will have to be shut down. Perhaps that is what is needed. Perhaps a forced shut down will encourage them to cut deeply, and begin to reduce the level of federal spending.

Perhaps.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Freshman Sen. Lee Vows Filibuster on Debt Limit - NewsMax