[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12025]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 WEAKENING THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENCY

  (Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I know my constituents and most Americans 
are trying to figure out exactly what this debt ceiling crisis is. It 
can't be about a desire to cut spending because both sides have already 
agreed to more cuts than are on the table in either the Senate or the 
House. No, this is a politically induced crisis that the Republicans 
have created in order to force votes on the debt ceiling next year 
during a Presidential campaign and weaken the President. But I hope 
they realize that if they weaken President Obama, they weaken the 
Presidency as well. And if they succeed in defeating him next year, 
their candidate, their President, will face reduced stature in the 
world, just as our political system will face a reduced stature in the 
world.
  We are the foundation of economic and political stability around the 
world, and this crisis is threatening our stature in that position. We 
cannot let the Republican politically induced default crisis succeed.

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