[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15486]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    THE INCONVENIENT INCONSISTENCY OF THE ADMINISTRATION--DEBT LIMIT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Poe) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker:

       The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's 
     debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that 
     the United States Government cannot pay its debts. It is a 
     sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from 
     foreign countries to finance our government's reckless fiscal 
     policies.

  That was a statement by Senator Barack Obama in 2006.
  Driving up our national debt from $5 trillion to $9 trillion is 
irresponsible. It is unpatriotic.
  Once again, Senator Barack Obama in 2008:

       Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and 
     internationally. Leadership means that the buck stops here. 
     Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices on 
     to the backs of our children and our grandchildren. America 
     has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans 
     deserve better. I, therefore intend to oppose the effort to 
     increase America's debt limit.

  Senator Barack Obama, 2006.
  But that was then; this is now. The President, last week, said, 
without an increase in the borrowing limit, ``the whole world will have 
problems.'' In other words, we are all going to die. The sky is going 
to fall unless the United States raises the debt limit.
  He seems to be a little bit inconsistent on positions regarding the 
debt limit. Of course, now the debt limit is up to $17 trillion, double 
what he talked about several years ago of not raising.
  So we find ourselves in a situation where the President's attitude 
seems to be: I will not negotiate, except with the Russians, the 
Syrians, the Iranians about what is going on overseas. But I will not 
negotiate, I will not talk to the House of Representatives about 
American issues.
  It would seem to me, Mr. Speaker, that things that are happening in 
the United States are really just as important as what is happening in 
Russia, Syria, and Iran--but maybe not to the administration.
  The administration would rather be in shutdown and lockdown for 
political reasons than to talk, to negotiate, to compromise, to even 
listen.
  You know, Mr. Speaker, they say that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. 
It seems that the administration is in bunker mentality while the 
United States is in economic turmoil. And where are we? We are in a 
situation where there is no talking. And it seems to me, the 
administration says it is our fault. The President won't talk to us. 
The President has the habit, it seems, to blame others on bad things 
that happen and takes credit for things that are always good.
  But, in any event, I reemphasize the President's own words about why 
we should not raise the debt limit: it is reckless; it is 
irresponsible; it is unpatriotic; it hurts us domestically and 
internationally; it is a failure of leadership, and Americans deserve 
better.
  I agree with that.
  So since the President seems to be somewhat inconsistent about his 
positions, why doesn't he just talk to us? Talk to us about the debt 
limit, the continuing resolution, about America's issues, America's 
policies, America's problems, and at least acknowledge that the House 
of Representatives exists.
  So I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, when you get to talk to the 
President--because I don't get to talk to him--and suggest that he come 
out of the White House and meet with the people's House and quit 
fiddling around and start talking to us so we can solve this problem 
together.
  And that's just the way it is.

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