Barack Obama on raising the debt ceiling in 2006: “It’s a sad state of affairs”
Yesterday Barack Obama gave what is probably the most condescending and arrogant press conference in United States history and in this press conference he said this about the debt ceiling:
The issue here is whether or not America pays its bills,” Obama said at a press conference on Monday, the last of his first term in office. “We are not a deadbeat nation”
Barack Obama feels it would be irresponsible for the Congress not to raise the debt ceiling, but he didn’t always feel that way–as I wrote about here the last time we have to suffer through the debt ceiling debate–because while he was running for president in 2008 he stated that President Bush was unpatriotic and irresponsible for adding to the national debt.
He also claimed in 2006, while a Senator voting against raising the debt ceiling, that the fact the United States had to raise the debt ceiling showed a lack of leadership from the White House; he claimed it weakened the United States both home and abroad. Now he is making the exact opposite claim.
Now more of the 2006 version of Barack Obama has surfaced and according to this article he said the following back then:
We are voting on the budget today,” he said at a March 16, 2006 event. “It’s a sad state of affairs. We just voted to increase the debt limit. The U.S. total debt at this point exceeds $8 trillion. That’s 8 trillion with a ‘T.’ So we’ve got to get our fiscal house in order here in Washington. I’m not sure it’s going to happen under the current leadership in Congress
So either Barack Obama was playing politics with the debt ceiling in 2006 and in 2008 or he is playing politics with the debt ceiling in 2013; which is it Barry?
America's Watchtower 
The hypocrisy is astounding. I wonder if a reporter has ever questioned him on his double standard? I suspect that would go over like a lead balloon.
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The MSM never calls him on this and it is frustrating as hell!
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“…but he didn’t always feel that way…”
Another case of Obama evolving. Darwin would be proud of him.
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Ha, that’s funny. Obama could be a test subject for Darwin and his theory of evolution.
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Maybe Darwin was right after all! 🙂
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This is yet one more area where Republicans are failing miserably. We have the monthly revenue to cover the debt payments. It’s other things that would need to be pared down in the event the debt ceiling isn’t raised. Tom Coburn and the CBO found billions in pure waste that could be cut with no pain at all. Obama is making a phony argument and Republicans have yet to call him on it.
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Exactly, once again the Republicans are losing the message war. They let Obama tell the American people that the military and social security will not be paid if the debt ceiling isn’t raised and they don’t get out there an explain to the American people that if that happens it is because Barack Obama put a higher priority on something else.
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I wish we could go back in time and ask Barack of 2006 why he was saying what he was and did he believe it or not. Just to know that.
Hell, even GHW Bush said “no new taxes!”
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We would just get some long winded answer that really isn’t an answer at all!
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And rjjrdq since corporations haven’t been taxed hardly at all, they have 5 to 6 trillion in cash on their balance sheets. Maybe they could pay a little? For once? You know my tiny company pays more in income tax than GE, Exxon, and BofA combined!
And yes there is a lot of waste. We paid out 50 billion to contractors for work that was never done in Iraq. Go figure….
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Right. Who-or what in their right mind would want to kick in even more to a dysfunctional, wasteful government. More revenue won’t cure what ails the feds just as another drink won’t help an alcoholic.
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And to think. If Bush paid for all his malfeasance our national debt would be next to nothing today. Even he said we had a growing surplus.
Go ahead blame Obama. Deep down inside we all know better.
Government spending has grown at the slowest rate in over 60 years.
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Wasn’t placing blame on anyone, we all know this problem started before Obama, just pointing out the hypocrisy is all. (And if spending is growing at its slowest rate shouldn’t the Republicans in this House be thanked for that? 🙂 )
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Steve times have changed from when Obama made the statement all those years ago.
The only thing Republicans in the house could be thanked for is making sure 50% of the money you make goes to help the wealthy get more wealthy, instead of you and your family. If I remember, they fought tooth and nail to keep Exxon’s handouts in place, and the tax cuts that help the rich are not eliminated.
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And of course he could not resist portraying us as Neanderthals. He guts Medicare and tells the world we want to kill grandma.
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And the lemmings just follow him over the cliff!
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