Fresh off a skirmish over who did, didn’t, or may have supported the $38 billion federal budget compromise, Virginia’s candidates for U.S. Senate sparred Tuesday over the issue of raising the debt ceiling – another huge vote looming before Congress.
Tea Party candidate Jamie Radtke said the country simply cannot continue to delay dealing with its fiscal problems.
“We are facing the end of the road, and we must make these decisions now,” she said. “We must make the debt ceiling vote the time when Congress finally, truly focuses on cutting spending. Raising the debt ceiling just kicks the can off a cliff, with America following right behind it.”
Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, though, said that if Congress fails to agree on raising the debt ceiling, it “will cripple our economy, halt our recovery, undermine our ability to do business with other nations and end up costing taxpayers more in the long-run.”
“That being said, it is imperative that Democrats and Republicans set aside their partisan differences and commit to long-term deficit reductions,” he continued. “Unlike previous Congresses that have taken the irresponsible step of raising the debt ceiling while actually voting to increase the deficit, this Congress must focus on solutions that guarantee we don’t find ourselves in this situation again.”
Former Sen. George Allen voted to raise the debt ceiling when he was a Senator. But he said that any vote to increase the ceiling should come with some caveats.
“Before there is any vote to increase the debt ceiling, Democrats must allow the Senate to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment and make immediate and meaningful cuts in wasteful spending,” said Allen. “I don’t know anyone outside of Washington who thinks the out-of-control, unaccountable federal government is operating at 100% efficiency.”
For the record, the general election is about 19 months away…
