Tom Graves: No proof that John Boehner’s plan would prevent downgrading of nation’s credit rating
U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, was the morning voice of the tea party today, explaining on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” why he can’t support House Speaker John Boehner’s deficit reduction plan:
Graves was pointed toward this morning’s editorial in the Wall Street Journal, which ended with this paragraph:
If conservatives defeat the Boehner plan, they’ll not only undermine their House majority. They’ll go far to re-electing Mr. Obama and making the entitlement state that much harder to reform.
Graves’ answer: “That’s an interesting opinion. They’re welcome to run for office themselves.”
The Georgia congressman said he wouldn’t vote to raise the debt-ceiling unless Congress also sends to the states a constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget. He decried Washington’s “compromise mentality:”
”Compromise is what’s led us to the mess we’re in right now. We can’t compromise our way out of this….We should not be exempt from difficult decisions.”
On threats by bond rating agencies to downgrade the nation’s credit rating if the debt-ceiling isn’t raised:
”I’m not certain, and I don’t think anyone can determine, that Boehner’s plan will prevent the downgrading from occurring. …We can’t allow a lot of this to force us into making bad decisions today. This is going to impact the next generation.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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124 comments Add your comment
clem
July 27th, 2011
6:00 pm
and it will get even worse under citizens united
Ol' Timer
July 27th, 2011
6:02 pm
@Clem: Yea. But I can’t explain it in three paragraphs.
I will say, however, that there is no will to deal with healthcare reform when the politicians are eating at their trough and carrying out their wishes under the protection of the recent Supreme Court decisions regarding political contributions.
As I’ve gotten older there are two things I’ve noticed. The two most important aspects of our lives — our health and our freedom — are adversely affected by ones ability to pay.
If you are wealthy you can buy justice. If you have tons of money, you can buy great healthcare.
The poor get screwed on both counts.
And, America is too great for that to be the case, but it is.
Ol' Timer
July 27th, 2011
6:07 pm
@EndHypoNow: What an oration. You’re my hero. We need to do all of the above — not just cut, but raise revenue. And, do it wisely.
Thanks for your wonderful comment!
clem
July 27th, 2011
6:24 pm
yep top 1% own 40+% of financial assets….probably more now if threw in real estate were middle america is underwater….so if we keep cutting them breaks that don’t materialize in jobs or trickle down let’s tax similar to other periods of time in nation’s history….my goodness 15% for hedge fund crowd, and saw somewhere top 400 richest taxpayers pay about 18% in income taxes
hl
July 27th, 2011
6:25 pm
Gotta say..Some folks need to read the Constitution. The President does not authorize spending. It originates in the House and they are just doing a dandy job of that.
The Republicans took over the House because they were going to create jobs…hahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha But at least their constituents are getting richer.
clem
July 27th, 2011
6:31 pm
you mean only a select few are getting wealthier
Ol' Timer
July 27th, 2011
6:43 pm
@Clem: I had to take leave for a moment, so please allow me to continue where I left off.
The nation needs desperately to carry on a discussion on healthcare. We need to have a national dialogue.
But it’s hard to carry on a dialogue when one side doesn’t want to participate. Dick Armey and his wealthy patrons published instructions for the Tea Party on ways to DISRUPT and DENY the speaker the opportunity to talk at Town Meetings. I’m sure you saw pictures of the riotous meeting on TV.
Now, we’re talking about 17.4% of our GDP and we can’t carry on a discussion and dialogue because anarchists, instructed by the oligarchs, disrupt and deny the free flow of ideas.
I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt. They just don’t understand that healthcare expenses in one of the anchors that’s dragging our economy to a halt.
But only when employers quit providing healthcare coverage, or greatly reduce their benefits or require a greater financial participation by the employee will they realize that this is serious stuff and not some little political pep rally we’re talking about.
And, this is going to happen sooner rather than later. Maybe then we’ll decide to act.
clem
July 27th, 2011
6:48 pm
is the health care industry just a jobs program, can it be more efficient (it’s gotta be more effective), are they monopolies and where does the money go….doctors, executives, stockholders, ….
know it is a complex subject, but after watching wendell potter during the health care debate i still would like to understand the main cost drivers….
and it would help if we quit eating all the greasy food here in the south
Ghost Rider
July 27th, 2011
7:22 pm
hl:
“Gotta say..Some folks need to read the Constitution. The President does not authorize spending. It originates in the House and they are just doing a dandy job of that.”
All spending legislation is originated in the House, BUT that legislation MUST be approved by both the House and the Senate AND survive a Presidential veto.
It is misleading to say that the House is totally responsible when it is only one of the three needed players. Obama has and is using the threatened veto power in an attempt to gain politically what he wants. The Democrats control the Senate and can thwart any efforts made by the House.
Just tell the whole story, brother, or don’t tell it at all.
RetiredSoldier
July 27th, 2011
7:35 pm
Degree-
Regardless of the reason Obama supported it, he supported it. If he was so opposed to it he should have said no. Principles are a good thing and have benn missing in Washington for a long time. Maybe Obama needs to rethink his principles.
RetiredSoldier
July 27th, 2011
7:38 pm
hl-
My remembering of the main theme of republicans was 1. repeal Obama Care 2. Cut spending 3. Create the conditions for private industry to create jobs by doing 1&2.
clem
July 27th, 2011
7:57 pm
spoken by a man that gets good healthcare…..
yuzeyurbrane
July 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
Rule or ruin is the strategy of this man with the choirboy face and his buds. I guess we have a preview of what the Teapeople will say when their subversive actions cause the very predictable economic consequences and chaos that will surely follow.
sho'nuff
July 27th, 2011
9:10 pm
How in the world Graves got elected? Answers (1)Political Backlash against the Dems that was greatly played by Repo-cons relying heavily on The Dumb Rich Money, brought into by average Conseratives who were scared off by relentless charges of Kenyaism/Socialism/Communism. He can’t even produce his birth certificate. Of course, Progressive Dem Utter Stupidity in not recognizing what was in their best interes, and just sat on their hands whistlingt. Because, you know Pres. Obama wasn’t moving fast enough to suit their taste. The Rich Repo miscalculated though because they thought they could easily keep those guys and gals under control. They would easily direct them to continue their RELENTLESS attacks against the President while they counted the Money. But these guys actually think they were elected to govern, which of course they are doing anything except governing. Their ace in the hole of course was to put the Total Complete destruction, i.e. the Economy totally at the feet of the President when the spent all of their time Obstructing, Criticizing, delaying, and their favorite Lying about his programs. To top it off, they promised: TO MAKE JOBS, their top priority. JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. Boehmer woke up saying that in the morning, and went to bed saying it at night. Where are the Jobs? But, Dems are equally to blame, again sitting idily by on the hands and expecting President Obama to do it all himself without any help from those from difficult, districts or Swing States. To me, that is a sign of piss poor Politician who cannot got out in their district and state and explain to the people why he/she voted the way they did. Example, why has Lynne Westmoreland not shown his face in the South Side — Harris County or North Columbus? Are they hiding from the people they claim to represent?
Finally, why can’t these idiots think outside the box: Propose legalization, regulation and taxation of certain industries that are begging to be subject to this. Why have they not Proposed a National Lottery of selling tickets for 50 cents a pop, and dedicate that money to rebuilding America. This country is in serious condition, and it seems that we have leaders making the problems worse by destroying everything. Small Government really means less Social Security, Less Medicare, Less Medicaid. On top of all these Wars and maintaining the Industrial War Complex. The trade off there is you get more and more teenagers returining from War with Lifelong Injurines that require Lifelong Benefits and Care, which people want less of the very programs. This is insane. Finally what makes it worse is the South is looked on, as being BACKWARDS, DUMB, STUPID, and UNUTTERLY RACIST, by many in the rest of the Nation which all SOUTHERNERS should actively work to Change. Just reading many of the comments posted here and comparing to comments posted on yahoo, msn and other websites, CLEARLY demonstrated how well thought out many of our ideas really are: informative, amusing and instructive! We must all work to lift all boats together so that everybody can prosper and figure out this changing and challenging world which we find ourselves in.
td
July 27th, 2011
9:59 pm
Ol’ Timer
July 27th, 2011
5:39 pm
“but the gap between rich and poor has broadened as never before in my lifetime. The income of the wealthy is increasing geometrically while the average working class stiff is making less than he did in 2000.”
My friend I hate to disagree with you but the above is not a statistically correct statement. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s there were 5 or 6 families in the US that had half the world’s wealth. Then when you added about 5-6 more families in Europe then it added up to about 90% of the worlds wealth. There are plenty of people that have had significant increases in income since 2000. Most of them are either in high tech, financial, banking or on wall street. Did you know that Microsoft has created 3 Billionaires and 400 millionaires since 1990? there has been 2 billionaires and 100 millionaires at Google since 2000.
Tom "they knew I couln
July 28th, 2011
8:44 am
Sure, Tom doesn’t care of the our country has our credit score lowered or defaults on a loans – it has worked out pretty good for him.
Tom "they knew I couldn't pay the money back" Graves
July 28th, 2011
8:47 am
Tom doesn’t care if our country has a lower credit rating or defaults on a loan it has worked pretty good for him.
clem
July 28th, 2011
9:12 am
td, your arguments against disparate wealth accumulation are very poor to say the least
td
July 28th, 2011
9:21 am
clem
July 28th, 2011
9:12 am
My point was not for or against wealth accumulation. It was just to point out that it is no worse today then 100 years ago and really more widespread then during that time.
double
July 28th, 2011
10:26 am
GE just shipped out ton of jobs from Wi. to China.Presidents offical job creator Mr. Immelt president of GE.GE never paid a penny tax in 2010 to USA.
mum
July 28th, 2011
10:33 am
Ol’Timer & Clem, thank you both for the spirited, civil and instructive dialogue. It’s refreshing to see a blog discussion that’s not nasty for a change.
Clem I saw the Atlantic chart last week and it’s interesting that more people aren’t looking at it. To Ol’Timer’s comment on healthcare, I find it interesting that this debate has fallen by the wayside. It doesn’t take much effort to find the data on how much of our GDP goes to healthcare and that it’s unsustainable. My portion of healthcare premiums have gone up steadily for the last 10 years..long before Obama I might add.
clem
July 28th, 2011
11:51 am
your velcome
Dan
July 28th, 2011
4:51 pm
Happy to see Mr. Graves standing firm. All that’s been proposed so far besides CCB is smoke and mirrors and accounting gimmicks. If we do not balance our budget you can tell your kids how you failed them when you had a chance to stand firm, you were more concerned about getting your than and future they might have.
Dave Ebbing
July 29th, 2011
1:46 pm
We elected Congressman Tom Graves because he is tough in the trenches. He is fighting the fight.
I’m proud to be from GA 9. Keep fighting Congressman Graves, our Nation needs you.