[Gozer]

Originally Posted by Azure

How can you afford it when you're running at trillion dollar deficit and you're in danger of defaulting on your debt because you can't raise the debt ceiling.

Congress could easily raise the debt ceiling. The debt ceiling has not been raised because the party in power doesn't want it raised.
They do not want it raised because it remains a 'hill for Obama to die on' in the eyes of the casually engaged.

Originally Posted by Azure

If you can't afford a trillion dollar healthcare program, you don't sign the bill. Obama pushed it through when he should have done everything he trying to do now instead.

Speaking of "pushing a bill through," the Republican plan would require a 2/3rds supporting vote in the congress and the senate to initiate a constitutional amendment before voting on the debt ceiling. Prudent?

Please support the claim of "a trillion dollar healthcare program."

"The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says that Obamacare would increase the national debt. The CBO writes that, by the end of 2019 alone, Obamacare "would amount to a net increase in federal deficits of $226 billion."

That's peanuts compared to what a downgraded credit rating would do to the world economy. And, at worst, Obama is making a misguided and doomed effort to save American lives. What are the goals of the Republicans?

Originally Posted by Azure

The solution is obvious. But it doesn't involve 'raising taxes.' It involves closing loopholes and restructuring the corporate tax rate to create an even playing field for everyone. Apparently that will increase revenues by up to $500-$600 billion per year, which is a pretty win/win situation I'd say.

But that's exactly where the Republicans are drawing a line in the sand.

Originally Posted by Azure

Also, you HAVE to reform entitlement spending. There is no way around it anymore.

This is lobbing you a meatball right in your wheelhouse, but why is this an important issue to settle before lifting the debt ceiling (assuming you think it is) if the government is borrowing money from social security to pay it's bills right now?

Surely that fight could wait until another day while the government decides not to risk plunging the country into a depression as the world is still eager to lend it money at historically low interest rates?