Debt Limit -- A Conscious Conservative View

     

     In reality, the limit on United States debt obligations will have to be raised.  Conservatives like myself would love to see the Visa card of the United States cut up and thrown in the trash.  However, Congress and the President of the United States agreed to spend this money when they voted on the budget.  The full faith and credit of the United States must be maintained in all dealings.  John Boehner and his colleagues in the House of Representatives can refuse to raise the Debt Limit temporarily and use this time to educate the American public, but only if they do it wisely.  If standing firm on the Debt Limit has the image of a cheap political trick,  the American public will be less informed.  Republicans will end up looking like a political version of the Usual Suspects.   
     As I write this, the Debt Limit has not been raised and Boehner is saying it won't be raised without, "budget cuts."  Unfortunately, he is not being specific, so the Liberals among us say that "budget cuts" are a euphemism for taking away Medicare and other social programs.  On the face, the "budget cuts" seem to be those outlined in the Ryan budget proposal.  Republicans have done a poor job of educating the public on this proposal.  If you only read the popular press, it sounds like a "Medicare Voucher" proposal and nothing more.
     Boehner and his colleagues could remedy this situation if he drops the Republican politics and call for sweeping and equal budget cuts.  The United States is spending more than we can afford on Medicare, Public Broadcasting and Planned Parenthood, but we also spending more than we can afford on Defense, Homeland Security and Farm Subsidies.  Boehner can seize this moment by shouting,
"No More Politics, Fair and Balanced Cuts Across the Board!!" and dare President Obama to justify another plan.  He can also pander to special interests, corporations and the military and end up being a Usual Suspect.