Florida Lawmaker Says Short-term Fix Won't Solve Long-term of Rigid Ideology

Statement

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) could put legislation on the floor for a vote later today that would propose a short-term increase in the country's debt limit - without any "defund Obamacare" strings attached, The Washington Post has reported.

Such a plan reportedly was presented to the House GOP caucus Thursday morning. Around the same time on the other side of Capitol Hill, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew was appearing before lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee including U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL).

During the hearing, the Florida Democrat signaled a short-term fix isn't likely to solve the underlying problem that led to this gridlock in the first place.

"We would be back in this soup right at the end of that short-term extension," Nelson cautioned.

Nelson indicated a six-week extension of the debt limit would only delay the inevitable - which is the demand of a group of rigid ideologues in the House to get rid of the country's new health care law. In other words, there's no guarantee Boehner's team could somehow rein in the rigid Tea Party faction in his caucus in just six weeks.

"We can't [continue to] negotiate over the debt ceiling," Nelson said.
House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) could put legislation on the floor for a vote later today that would propose a short-term increase in the country's debt limit - without any "defund Obamacare" strings attached, The Washington Post has reported.

Such a plan reportedly was presented to the House GOP caucus Thursday morning. Around the same time on the other side of Capitol Hill, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew was appearing before lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee including U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL).

During the hearing, the Florida Democrat signaled a short-term fix isn't likely to solve the underlying problem that led to this gridlock in the first place.

"We would be back in this soup right at the end of that short-term extension," Nelson cautioned.

Nelson indicated a six-week extension of the debt limit would only delay the inevitable - which is the demand of a group of rigid ideologues in the House to get rid of the country's new health care law. In other words, there's no guarantee Boehner's team could somehow rein in the rigid Tea Party faction in his caucus in just six weeks.

"We can't [continue to] negotiate over the debt ceiling," Nelson said.

But to avoid any major economic upheaval, Lew indicated that the Treasury might agree to such a short-term extension of the debt ceiling.

Prior to Thursday, the GOP had been adhering to a plan to lift the debt ceiling but only if accompanied by a one-year delay of Obama's health-care law plus some other conservative policy demands.

But to avoid any major economic upheaval, Lew indicated that the Treasury might agree to such a short-term extension of the debt ceiling.

Prior to Thursday, the GOP had been adhering to a plan to lift the debt ceiling but only if accompanied by a one-year delay of Obama's health-care law plus some other conservative policy demands.

Source