2016 Postmortem

LiberalFighter

(50,953 posts) Fri Dec 7, 2012, 03:37 PM Dec 2012

McConnel is such a twit.

Complaining about the need for debate on the debt ceiling. When they pass a budget why do they need to raise the debt ceiling? They are wanting to approve something twice. Wouldn't this be ruled out of order under Roberts Rules when a motion has already been passed on the issue?

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

McConnel is such a twit. (Original Post) LiberalFighter Dec 2012 OP

certainly he's a twit, but i don't think the debt ceiling and the budget are quite the same thing. unblock Dec 2012 #1

McConnell Can't Help Making A Fool Of Himself skrempi313 Dec 2012 #2

AGAIN????? Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2012 #3

As a Kentuckian, I usually have to apologize for Rand Paul Bake Dec 2012 #4

(you poor dear) annabanana Dec 2012 #5

unblock

(52,257 posts)

1. certainly he's a twit, but i don't think the debt ceiling and the budget are quite the same thing.

Reply to LiberalFighter (Original post)

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 03:46 PM

Dec 2012

a budget is a projection, the debt ceiling limits the actual borrowing.

so congress might approve a budget, projecting a certain amount of debt.

but then, over the course of the year, revenues disappoint, perhaps because of a recession; and expenditures might go up based on formulas, again, perhaps because of a recession. in order to fund the expenses already approved in the budget, treasury might have to borrow more than expected and therefore go over the debt ceiling.

in theory, congress might actually want to reconsider some decisions made in the budget if the debt ceiling would be exceeded based on the way the year is playing out worse than expected.

having said that, in practice, this is all theoretical and the debt ceiling debate is much more about political posturing than anything else.

so we're back to mcconnel being a twit.