Romney's Low Profile on Budget Debate Rankles Foes

[TomCADem]

Source: Real Clear Politics

He has a penchant for boasting about how the economy is in his wheelhouse, but former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has been awfully quiet on the debt ceiling debate, and his Republican rivals have increasingly taken note.

During a 20-minute speech in Ohio on Thursday, according to the Columbus Dispatch, the national front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination did not even mention the issue that continues to dominate Washington discourse.

It was only when he was pressed by reporters that Romney weighed in on the debt ceiling debate, refusing to get into specifics about the bill being crafted by House Speaker John Boehner or offer other proposals designed to resolve the current standoff.

"My position is very clear, which is, I favor a 'cut, cap and balance' program for federal spending," Romney said, as he ignored reporters' follow-up questions, according to the Dispatch.


Read more: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/07/29/romneys_low_profile_on_budget_debate_rankles_foes_110764.html

---

The invisible front runner! If you needed more evidence that News Corp is clearing the way for Mitt Romney by not covering his rather notable disappearance as the Nation slides into economic armageddon.

Now, what is Cut, Cap and Balance?

###

-Cuts next year's projected $3.6 trillion in spending by $111 billion. Roughly two-thirds of cuts from department and agency budgets, one-third from automatically paid benefits, but leaves decisions to Congress about which programs would be cut. Exempts defense, security, veterans, Medicare and Social Security.

—Gradually decreases, or "caps," spending over the coming decade from 24.1 percent of the economy this year to 19.9 percent in 2021. Over the decade, that would mean about $6 trillion less spending than President Barack Obama proposed in his most recent budget. Congress would decide details. If a cap was exceeded, spending would automatically be cut, exempting Social Security, Medicare, military personnel, veterans and interest due on the debt

-Congress must approve and send to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment requiring abalanced federal budget before the government's debt limit can be increased. After congressional approval of a balanced budget amendment, federal borrowing authority would automatically increase by $2.4 trillion, matching Obama's request. Requires that the balanced budget amendment resemble current House and Senate proposals, which would require two-thirds majorities in Congress to raise taxes or to allow annual spending to exceed 18 percent of the economy — more severe than the 19.9 percent target for 2021 in thecut, cap and balance bill.

[Skink]

1. He knows as president he'd never have to worry about a procedural issue such as this.

[gateley]

2. He is such a chickenshit. nt

[MidwestTransplant]

3. Perry is going to eat his lunch

[No Elephants]

4. "Exempts defense, security, veterans, Medicare and Social Security."

[TomCADem]

5. Actually, There Is A Special Carve Out For Defense...

... This is a Republican Amendment afterall.