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Debt Feeling

By Reid Pillifant 7/28/11 1:32pm

Debt Feeling

Jerrold Nadler (Photo: Getty)

Nadler Nudges Obama: 'Make Room for the 14th Amendment'

Representative Jerry Nadler thinks there’s a “high likelihood” of a complete breakdown in negotiations between House Republicans and the president over the debt ceiling, and he thinks the Democrats’ best option at this point is to push the president to solve the problem unilaterally, since Speaker John Boehner is still trying to rustle the votes for a debt ceiling deal that the president and Senate have already declared a non-starter.

“I really think there’s a very high likelihood of a total impasse here, which would be catastrophic,” Nadler told me this morning. “And so we have to push the 14th Amendment, and make room for the 14th Amendment.” Read More

By Reid Pillifant 7/25/11 10:00pm

Debt Feeling

Schumer: Reid's Plan 'Only Viable Solution'

Senator Chuck Schumer cheered President Obama’s prime-time address to the American people tonight, in which the president said a group of House Republicans was unwilling to accept a compromise debt ceiling deal that would raise some revenues.

“The President placed the blame for this deadlock where it belongs—squarely on the shoulders of an extreme bloc within the House Republicans that refuses to compromise even one inch,” Schumer said in a statement emailed shortly after the speech. “As the President made clear, their approach will drive the U.S. economy over a cliff, and take millions of American families’ budgets with it.” Read More

By David Freedlander 7/25/11 12:05pm

Debt Feeling

Dems Robocall Against G.O.P. Lawmakers Over Debt

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced over the weekend that they are planning a robocall in several dozen Republican-held districts  over the G.O.P.’s apparent unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling.

A half-dozen New York representatives are targeted in the robo-calls, including two in the New York City area: Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm and Nan Hayworth of the Hudson Valley. Read More

By Reid Pillifant 7/24/11 10:48am

Debt Feeling

Weprin Weighs In on Debt Ceiling

David Weprin isn’t in Congress yet — and can’t even be elected until mid-September — but that won’t stop him from criticizing House Republicans on the debate over the debt ceiling, which must be resolved in the next 10 days to avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt.

“What the Republicans in Congress are doing is shameful,” Weprin said in a statement his campaign emailed this morning. “To put it simply, they are playing chicken with our economy and are placing our nation’s economic well-being in jeopardy for the sake of playing partisan games.” Read More

By David Freedlander 7/22/11 8:36am

Debt Feeling

Rudy Giuliani & Joe Montana Visit FOX & Friends

Giuliani: If We Default, Blame Obama [Video]

Rudy Giuliani appeared on Fox News last night and placed blame squarely on President Obama if the federal government fails to raise the debt ceiling in advance of the August 2 deadline.

“If we default, and I hope we don’t, 90 percent of the responsibility is on the President of the United States — not on even the Democrats in the House or the Republicans in the House,” the former mayor said. “It’s on him. He’s the leader of this country. He’s the chief executive of this country, and he’s yet to outline a plan because he’s too darn afraid that he’s going to pay political consequences.” Read More

By David Freedlander 7/20/11 2:54pm

Debt Feeling

charlie-rangel

Charlie Rangel 'Embarrassed' for Congress

Charlie Rangel called the ongoing negotiations over the debt ceiling, “one of the most embarrassing periods I’ve been through in Congress,” yesterday during an interview with The Politicker.

“For the Republicans to have a debate for four hours on an amendment that may pass the House, has little chance of passing the Senate, and will never be signed into law, just to embarrass the president at a time when our country is feeling so much pain and joblessness and fear for the future,” he said. “What is the Congress doing?” Read More