Advertisement
U.S. markets open in 2 hours 53 minutes
  • S&P Futures

    5,306.75
    -1.50 (-0.03%)
     
  • Dow Futures

    40,143.00
    -1.00 (-0.00%)
     
  • Nasdaq Futures

    18,500.25
    -3.50 (-0.02%)
     
  • Russell 2000 Futures

    2,137.70
    -0.70 (-0.03%)
     
  • Crude Oil

    81.91
    +0.56 (+0.69%)
     
  • Gold

    2,226.10
    +13.40 (+0.61%)
     
  • Silver

    24.72
    -0.03 (-0.13%)
     
  • EUR/USD

    1.0792
    -0.0037 (-0.35%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.1960
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     
  • Vix

    12.97
    +0.19 (+1.49%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2616
    -0.0022 (-0.18%)
     
  • USD/JPY

    151.3920
    +0.1460 (+0.10%)
     
  • Bitcoin USD

    70,421.30
    +297.29 (+0.42%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • FTSE 100

    7,957.43
    +25.45 (+0.32%)
     
  • Nikkei 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     

Americans Go “From Disappointment to Disgust” with Debt-Ceiling Debate, David Walker Says

As of Friday morning, there's no deal to raise the debt ceiling and both parties want everybody to know it.

"There is no deal," House Speaker John Boehner said on 'The Rush Limbaugh Show' Thursday evening. "No deal publicly, no deal privately; there is absolutely no deal."

White House press secretary Jay Carney similarly sought to dampen speculation that a deal is near. "The fact is that there is no progress to report," he said Thursday afternoon after The New York Times reported a deal was at hand.

So with less than two weeks to go before the Aug. 2 deadline set by Treasury Secretary Geithner, our elected officials seem unable to come up with a compromise — grand or otherwise — to avoid a default — technical or otherwise — and the potential financial market upheaval that may result.

And while all this is going on, the Senate today will be spending time voting on the House "Cut, Cap and Balance" bill that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says has zero chance of passage.

There is a method to the madness of Washington, says David Walker, CEO of the Comeback America Initiative and former U.S. Comptroller General. Casting symbolic votes is important for some politicians so they can show constituents they're "trying as hard as you can to get done you said you would do," Walker says; having done that, politicians typically are more willing and able to compromise.

As was the case 10 days ago, Walker believes a deal will be reached prior to the Aug. 2 deadline. "The question is: Is it going to be a big deal or a small deal?," he says. "It's looking more and more like they'll do a small deal and do a bigger deal later to take 'em past the election."

One reason Walker remains optimistic is this week's announcement by Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, that allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire would not violate the 'no-tax' pledge signed by 236 House members and 41 senators. That should give Congressional Republicans cover to vote for a deal that includes some revenue and not just spending cuts.

Even if a deal gets done by Aug. 2, Walker says Americans are right to have gone from "disappointed to disgusted" with the political process.

"The real problem is not the partisanship, it's the ideological divide," he says, suggesting there are a "disproportionate" number of Congress members who either either "far right or far left" and don't want compromise.

Unfortunately, political ideology is preventing some in Congress from being "realistic about what needs to be done now and what ultimately has to be done over time," Walker says.

For instance, the concept of 'Cut, Cap and Balance' makes sense, "but numbers they're using don't make sense," he says.

Aaron Task is the host of The Daily Ticker. You can follow him on Twitter at @atask or email him at altask@yahoo.com


For more Daily Ticker coverage of the debt ceiling debate see:

U.S. Hits the Debt Ceiling: What Does It All Mean?

Debt Ceiling Deadline Pushed Back: Will the GOP Budge?

Rep. Levin: GOP "Playing With Fire" On Debt Ceiling Vote

Debt Ceiling Vote a "Political Sideshow", Mish Says: Real Issue Is "Govt. Spending Run Amok"

"No Downside" to Not Raising the Debt Ceiling, Says Chris Whalen

Debt Ceiling Debate: The GOP Is "Blackmailing the American People," Sen. Bernie Sanders Says

Debt Ceiling Uncertainty: Big Banks Take Evasive Action, The FT Says

Deep Recession & Financial Chaos: "Very Dark Scenario" If Debt Ceiling Isn't Raised, Zandi Says

Finally, Someone Is Talking Sense On Our Huge Debt And Deficit Problem — President Obama

What If? "Huge Interest Rate Risk" If No Deal on Debt Ceiling, David Walker Says

"Dangerous Precedent" Being Set in Debt Ceiling Debate, Galbraith Says

It's Time to Roll Back Big Government: Rep. Ron Paul Says 'No' to Debt Ceiling Increase

Jared Bernstein's Getting Nervous About Aug. 2 "But I Think We'll Have a Deal"

"A Bunch of Morons in Washington": Howard Davidowitz Handicaps the Debt-Ceiling Debate

Advertisement