Biden and McCarthy Reach a U.S. Debt Ceiling Deal

Should Congress abolish the debt ceiling?

  • 40.4k
    jimK
    Voted Yes
    01/20/2023

    The debt ceiling is a useless political artifact from a bygone era. It was a Congressional political stunt to get funding to support our war time efforts for, I believe, World War One.

    No other country requires a legislative vote to permit paying back borrowed funds that have already been expended. No Business, no person, no-one has the ability to declare that they have a limit on how much of the funds that they have borrowed will be paid back to those they borrowed the funds from. No-one.

    As articulated by Mitch McConnel years ago, the debt ceiling is a useful tool for the tyranny of the minority to use against the majority, by holding the full faith and credit of the US hostage.

    Even McConnell has backed away form this as the economic consequences of even threatening to use the debt ceiling as a political tool greatly risks the future of the US economy, the stability of world financial markets and the World economy.

    US currency has become the basis of the world economy becuase in our history, our country has never failed to repay it's debt. Our bonds are the world's safest investment in part becuase of this.

    The last time this game was even seriously threatened by Republicans, the economy took a immediate downturn, the stock markets dropped rapidly and our country's credit rating dropped. These things all directly and/or indirectly effect all of the people in this country.

    The MAGA morons in the House are mainly interested in getting media attention for their brazen stupidity as a means to raise funds; they really do not care about the damage they may leave in their wake.

    Once Congress approves and allocates funds the debt has been accrued and, in reality, must be paid back irregardlesss of whatever shenannagins are played with the debt ceiling. If the Congress wants to better control spending and the increased debt, then do so when legislative programs are passed and funds are allocated.

    The trump's tenure saw the largest national debt increases of late, just as George Bush's tenure did. The National debt has decreased during Obama's tenure and has been reduced in each of the first two years on Biden's tenure. Last year's reduction is on the order of $1.4 Trillion. Much of this reduction in National debt has come from the return on Biden's investments in the economic future of the country.

    Biden's investments are offering good returns in much the same way that good busiiness investments in the future are expected to provide positive returns. These will continue to reduce the national deficit as they have been doing as long as those who want solely to discredit their opponents do not choose to sacrifice the full faith and credit of our country to do so - which would result in a multi-generational economic disaster for our country.

    The debt ceiling is only useful as an economic weapon of mass destruction of our country should some morons choose to wield it.

    Eliminate the debt ceiling for our National Security primarily and for the stupidity of leaving this economic suicide weapon on the books for these many years. There are those currently in our governance that are willfully stupid enough to use this tool no matter the consequences to the future of our country. 

  • 4,238
    Bruce
    01/21/2023

    The Debt Ceiling is duplicative, unnecessary and dangerous.  There is already an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which requires the U.S. to always fulfill is financial obligations.  The Debt Ceiling has become a dangerous game for republicans to play chicken with.  By the way if they actually wanted a balanced budget, they could have had one during the Trump years by cutting the Defense Budget and rescinding the $2 Trillion Tax Cut for millionaires and billionaires!

  • 2,811
    Jim2423
    Voted No
    04/21/2023

    The majority of the debt ceiling has been past administrations. But then I guess once you passed the Bill to spend the money, now the Republicans want to renege on the debts. Yes we need to start curbing our expenditures. But this is not the way. 

  • 141
    Larry
    Voted Maybe
    05/24/2023

    Raising the debt ceiling must not be allowed to be held captive for partisan amendments.  Budget negotiations must be separate from the debt ceiling!

  • 5,733
    M
    Voted Yes
    01/20/2023

    This is a bit of a weird question given the current congress has made it clear in no uncertain terms they plan to take our country hostage and blackmail them into cutting social security and Medicare programs before they will agree to make payments on our debt (it's like refusing to make credit card payments). Because they don't care if they burn our country, its economy, and the world's economy down. They don't care if they violate the constitution. Seriously, anyone supporting the gop that still thinks they are supporting the constitution these days, haven't read it.

    However, if the gop does this, which seems likely, they only way to avoid this is for Biden to overrule Congress using the stipulation in the 14th amendment, stating the USA always pays its debits. Of course, this is basically a scorched earth unprecedented approach having the president overruling congress. It will be a huge hot mess, but it might be the only option if Congress decides to both blackmail us while playing a game of chicken against their constitutional duty.

     

  • 2,445
    John
    01/20/2023

    Yes the debt limit is arcane and makes no sense anymore, just as the electoral college makes no sense it's time to move on and fix things like this. There should be no more permanent judges on the Supreme Court another idea that's  time has long passes. Addition no one should be allowed to be in Congress more than two terms or three terms in the Senate. I'm sick of these people who get in there raking millions and do everything they can to make more millions for themselves and nothing but argue among themselves while the country suffers.

  • 2,811
    Jim2423
    Voted No
    01/19/2023

    Some home we need to reign in our spending like a young person with their first credit card. I fully understand ful filling our responsibilities. But we are worse than the state of California in spending. Everyone wants money out of the trough, but there is only one pump feeding it. Our military budget is the biggest in the world and it all does not go to service members pay. It goes to dishonest contractors. Always has. I agree we need to reduce our spending, but this debt has been produced by Congress already. They don't even look or debate on budgets anymore, just rubber stamp anything in front of them. But this is my feelings. NDOW neither my Representative or two Senators could care less. So, why should I even address this, they won't. I have one who will go with the Republican flow and two who will vote us deeper in debt. Guess I should just be quiet and watch our country fold.

  • 687
    Beth
    Voted Maybe
    04/21/2023

    I feel getting rid of the debt ceiling maybe difficult. First we need to raise the debt ceiling for paying the Nations bills. For those working the Federal Government can get paid, for those of us living Social Security get our monthly income, and for our Medicare along with Medicaid get taken care 

    Of.

    Once the debt ceiling is done , then you can work on the budget. They are two separate issues. The GOP is forgetting that under former President Trump, the debt ceiling was raised 3 times .

    Now as for the cuts they want to make are appalling. Are they aware that in most States and Counties there are already work requirements for. SNAP and Medicaid and they want to interfere with this and make it that much harder for families who are already working that receive these services. What about us Senior Citizens who live on that fixed income of Social Security and you literally want to screw us over with our SNAP and decrease them while h will harm us. Then you want to mess with our Secondary insurance for those of us who qualify for Medicaid . Don't you realize that this helps us with transportation, dental, hearing, vision, medications and help us pay for our hospital bills. If we didn't have these services we would not survive.

    Don't get me started on the Government getting involved with the Board of Education telling them they need to ban certain.  books, they cant teach the truth about History. Being Woke is being aware of what goes on around you . Being educated with the correct knowledge for becoming a productive member of Society. It is not you job or place to tell children what they can and can't read. That is the parents job not the Governments. Banning Drag shows. Come on people how ridiculous can you be. Parents don't take their children to these show that take place at their bedtime in clubs that are appropriate. One has to be of legal age to be able to go to bars and clubs. Besides God made us all special,  and unique. Kids aren't stupid they are aware of different types of people.

     

  • 1,651
    Lesley
    Voted Yes
    Today at 9:14 PM

    Absolutely. 
    Enough with the games. 

  • 237
    Carl
    Voted Yes
    Today at 10:07 PM

    Abolish the debt ceiling as soon As possible. The idea of putting the country on the verge of chapter 11 bankruptcy every few years is idiotic.

  • 417
    Rhonda
    Voted No
    Today at 9:49 PM

    During our marriage, when unexpected bills have come in, my husband and I have had to cut back, usually on groceries, to pay our bills. The administration knew, or should have known, it could not meet what it had obligated itself. Rather than continuing to allow illegals to enter our country and obligating taxpayers to pay for housing, food, clothing, education, and healthcare for these individuals, US borders could be closed, thereby saving money. We could cut back on money and equipment sent to other countries. We don't have to fund military operations throughout the world. Discontinuing to do so would save money. Taxpayers don't need to pay for abortions in our country or countries around the world. No longer doing so would save money. There are government departments that could be dissolved because they duplicate departments within each individual state. An example is the Department of Education. Instead the federal government raises taxes on US citizens and further endangers our sovereignty by incurring increased debt through loans from an enemy country. Perhaps it is just that our leaders never learned to do without until money could be saved for a purchase. They need to learn to eat peanut butter sandwiches for dinner and stop, with their votes and executive orders, forcing citizens to pay their bills. Leaders are meant to serve the people, not put them in bandage.

     

  • 458
    Anne Marie
    Voted Yes
    Today at 8:38 PM

    The Debt ceiling should be abolished.  It is an artificial construct and has become a political football that the republicans use to hold the nation hostage to get what they want that has nothing to do with paying the country's bills.  Interestingly they had no problem raising the debt ceiling when trump was in the white house, proving that this latest nonsense is merely political.  Playing fast and loose with the USA's credit rating is a really bad move economically.  Making seniors, veterans and the  military worry if they are going to continue to get their checks on time so they can feed their families is a terrible thing to do.

  • 2,713
    Adel
    Voted No
    Today at 6:37 PM

    I have a debt ceiling too.  I have worked all my life to bring it down and am now just down to my house.  I will pay it off too.!  Why would I not expect the same from my government????

  • 228
    Larry
    Voted No
    Today at 7:48 PM

    Today,  John Kirby says the US is announcing an additional aid package for Ukraine." 

     

    We have already provided financial aid amounting to more than twice the Russian defense budget and according to all reports, we are broke. Where is this money coming from? (Please don't say we borrow it from China.)

  • 128
    Steve
    Voted Yes
    Today at 6:37 PM

    Please, the next chance you get (hopefully after the 2024 election) abolish the debt ceiling!

  • 1,818
    Martha
    Voted Yes
    Today at 4:21 PM

    YES!!!!! That would be one less thing for Congress to hold hostage and put us in danger of defaulting on spending they'd already agreed to.  These debt celing show downs are becoming really irritating and dangerous since the Republicans seem to be willing to bring our economy down along with the very essence of our country.  There are too many rightwing idiots in Congress to trust that at some point they won't push us into a disaster.

  • 911
    John
    Voted Yes
    Today at 6:19 PM

    Yes, we should do away with the Debt Ceiling it is an artificial metric.

  • 531
    Warren
    Voted Yes
    Today at 6:07 PM

    Do away with also do away with Supreme Court both are too political.

  • 2,785
    Jean
    Voted Yes
    Today at 4:49 PM

    CAUSES ASKS (AGAIN): "Should Congress abolish the debt ceiling?"  ME (again): Yes. PLEASE!  Only two countries, the US and Denmark, have debt ceilings.  And while Denmark may be intelligent enough not to bicker over raising it if necessary to pay the bills it has already incurred, the US most definitely is not.  In fact, the MAGAGOP (new word!) is entirely comfortable, if not insane, with  crashing not only the US but the international economy over it.  Enough already.  I, for one, am sick and tired of the magagop drama, threats to multiple aspects of humanity (including my own health, safety, and welfare), vengeance narrative, and political hostage-takiing, of which the debt ceiling crisis is but the latest example.  Get rid of the debt limit.  Get rid of the magagop.  Vote them out -- it's the only way to restore this country to sanity.  .

  • 1,611
    Steph
    Voted Yes
    Today at 4:43 PM

    Yes.  Congress should abolish the debt ceiling.

  • 146
    Mary Bell
    Voted Yes
    Today at 5:38 PM

    We need to get through this increase as a temporary measure.  Then it should be abolished as a useless artifact.  It should be clear that when the government approves a budget the debt limit will automatically enable the governmnet to pay for the expenditures it authorized in that process.  Budget approval is how governments all over the place authorize their debt.

  • 1,471
    Kathleen
    Voted Yes
    Today at 4:35 PM

    Yay

  • 285
    ChoateRB
    Voted No
    Today at 5:29 PM

    We are the holders of the debt. We are responsible to pay for this! It is currently nearly $300,000 per TAXPAYER. Do you really want the Congress to have the power to spend as much as they want? The power of the purse ultimately is in the hand of the US citizens. Let's start being more responsible.

  • 2,651
    George
    Voted Yes
    Today at 4:15 PM

    We have a two year window of time to do it.  Get out the vote and regain the house and solidify the senate and do it.

  • 325
    Dennis
    Voted Yes
    Today at 4:50 PM

    Yes, I believe the debt ceiling should be abolished. It doesn't seem to serve a purpose other than give right wing minorities an opportunity to stress the nation by grandstanding for lost causes. The time to argue the merits of any particular spending bill is before the bill has passed, not after that proverbial horse has left the barn and we're on the brink of default.

  • 1,289
    JERRE
    Voted No
    Today at 5:27 PM

    Only after all are given a credit card without limit or repaymemnt

  • 141
    Larry
    Voted Maybe
    Today at 4:37 PM

    The debt ceiling must be made separate from add on budgetary proposals!!!!!

  • 2,037
    530 East Hunt Highway
    Voted Maybe
    Today at 4:17 PM

    Congress needs to control spending