Seriously, that is what Tea Party Rep. Paul Broun (GA) wants to do! Check out his reasoning as explained to Andrea Mitchell:
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Broun: I introduced a bill to lower the debt ceiling, not raise it. And i just think raising the debt ceiling is not the way to go. We need to lower it. We need to pay off the debt. We need to deal with the debt and we need to create a stronger economy. We just disagree on the tactics here. We both want to get to the same end result. That’s to create jobs out in the — throughout America.
Mitchell: Congressman, when you talk about lowering the debt ceiling, the debt ceiling is being raised to pay for money that has been appropriated by this Congress and previous Congresses, but in particular by this Congress. You’re paying for what has already been charged not for future expenses.
Broun: Well, Andrea, the thing is, when someone is overextended and broke, they don’t continue paying for expensive automobiles; they sell the expensive automobiles and buy a cheaper one. They don’t continue paying for country club dues, they drop out of the country club.
Yeah, because that’ll work if you’re unemployed or underpaid — just drop out of the country club and stop buying all those expensive cars. Why didn’t I think of that? So, when does the Federal Government cancel it’s country club memberships? I’ll bet the savings would be ginormous!
So…he wants us to sell sidewalks and parks, and buy what exactly? I don’t understand the analogy. It’s Paul Broun, that is to be expected. It’s also hilarious that this is the analogy he’s chosen to use. Earth to Paul Broun: automobiles are expensive even if you have a cheap one (to the tune of $9500).
It’s funny you mention automobiles, Representative Broun. Let me tell you about automobiles:
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/07/transportation-as-a-civil-rights-issue/
My head is exploding. If my ultimate goals are:
… what should I be hoping for in regard to all these votes?
Also, let’s say you are already unemployed and have no money invested – in that scenario, what unthinkably horrible things will happen to you if we actually default?
And, if we actually default and horrible things happen, what will be the impact on 2012?
The loss of their credibility with 100% of the public not in Congress.
I want to introduce a bill that says I haven’t introduced a bill.
One of the things I’ve never understood is how this nitwit not only got to be an MD, but a specialist. Has he been breaking into the drug cabinet?
Another argument for repealing the debt ceiling altogether and telling Congress to do their jobs.
What a transparently stupid exercise in posturing.
I’m gonna cut my debt ceiling more than you’ll cut yours. Whaddya think of that?
Well, I know where to get a quick $130,000. Would you please resign, Congressman.
He is probably good at role learning. That’s a different skill to creative thinking
sorry, i meant rote learning.
Last summer I saw a couple eat a very expensive meal in a restaurant, they kind of ordered everything on the menu plus bottles of wine, then just before their last course arrived they threw a fit about the service and the restaurant finally just let them leave without paying (all of us onlookers realized it was a scam). I think this is what Paul Broun is about, though the couple was more like McCain (get off my lawn) with a very intimidated wife of his own age.
While the rest of the idiot Republicans are busy rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, this asshole is drilling holes in the hull.
What is wrong with this guy? Terminal stupid. He says he wants to pay off the debt. How can you pay off the debt if you LOWER the debt ceiling? Do you even know what the debt ceiling is?
no. He’s mistaking the debt ceiling for the appropriations and budget process.
It is hard to conceive of a House member, especially at this point in the process, being that stupid. But there it is. And I’m sure there are a lot more like that and worse.
And here I was picturing Boehner bringing in Louie Goehmert, sitting him down and saying, ‘Now you know Louie that it’s all been a lie, right?’
Imagine having a day filled with chat after chat with Louie, Broun and the other 85 teabaggers, there ain’t a bottle of Jack big enough to blank out that.
Let’s all go in on an F-22.
I get it Sundays, Boo on Mondays…Tarheel you cheap bastard, cough up your half million bucks!
And after you resign your country club membership, your next budget-saving maneuver is to threaten to turn The Help over to ICE if they don’t take a 50% pay cut.
More seriously, any time a politician complaining about government spending compares the federal budget to a household budget, it’s an instant tipoff that that person is either pandering or an idiot, or both. It’s absolutely not analagous. For very basic starters, households don’t issue bonds or print their own currency.
Um, Paul Broun, here’s the thing. Unless you buy cars with cash on the spot, even selling an expensive car and buying a cheaper one involves going deeper into debt at first. It’s just that with lower payments you can, to coin a phrase, “bend the cost curve” on transportation. Also, in case you couldn’t tell, this is an analogy.