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Local Congress Members Disagree On Debt Ceiling

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(Credit: CBS)

(Credit: CBS)

Jon Delano

Reporting Jon Delano

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Local members of Congress disagree on how important it is to raise the debt ceiling by August 2.

Freshman U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Butler, reflects a view of many Tea Party members.

“We have enough revenue to take care of some of our bills, not all our bills, so at that point then it becomes, ‘What do you take care of? What do you not take care of? Where’s the priorities?’” Kelly told KDKA Money Editor Jon Delano.

For some Republicans like Kelly, not raising the debt ceiling forces the Obama administration to cut government spending.

“We got to draw some lines that make it impossible to keep going this way. The trajectory of the debt is just incredibly, it’s so reckless right now and irresponsible,” Kelly said. “We’ve got to get that fixed.”

But U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, D-McCandless, says the nation’s credit rating is at stake on August 2.

“An unprecedented default — you hear that term — the full faith and credit of the United States being called into question, purely for political reasons in a totally unprecedented way, but it’s self-inflicted,” he explained.

Altmire says besides some government payments not being made at the end of next week, “That’s going to have a significant impact on interest rates and on all investments, on the stock market, on people’s retirement plans, 401Ks, IRAs, on your credit card interest rate, on your mortgage, on everything.”

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, says raising taxes cannot be part of the debt ceiling plan.

“This is not the time to take more money out of the economy to spend on a government that has shown absolute unwillingness in the administration to get spending under control,” he said. “It has gone up massively in the last couple of years and that has to stop.”

The lines drawn in the sand have been sharp.

Democrats say it’s unfair to ask middle class Americans to take cuts in Social Security, Medicare, student loans and other programs without closing tax loopholes that benefit the wealthy.

But Republicans have insisted no tax increases on anyone.

As of right now, that means no agreement.

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  • bettygerbil

    maybe they should take cuts in there pays and lose all the perks they get and the gym in dc we pay for it lets make them pay for it . i am so sick of hearing cutting ss medicare some people don’t get much now and our elderly are barely making it let people be able to retire and you will see how many jobs open up from people who want to retire and can’t . maybe all businesss should pay taxs and not give perks on taxs to them .end the wars and you will cut alot of wasteful spending

  • http://www.politicspa.com/726-morning-buzz/26422/ 7/26 Morning Buzz | PoliticsPA

    [...] Tribune-Review: Meter-parkers See Spike In Tickets Since Pittsburgh Enforcement Lengthened KDKA: Local Congress Members Disagree on Debt [...]

  • Zoeyzotron

    Too bad we didn’t think about the repercussions of spending more than we had before we did it.

    By the way…obama should be brought up on charges for the 870 billion dollars he blew into the wind of OUR money.

    We have two choices:
    1) Make moderate cuts to all entitlement programs now (no one is saying it will be pleasant)

    2) Make massive cuts to entitlement programs 4 years from now (it will be very painful)

    There are no other answers at this point.

    • sheriff

      Zoeyzotron, A cuts only is bad in so many ways & sends a message to the rich & priviliged that once again $$$ talks & all the rest walks. Let it be shared by all you stupid prick.

    • #3

      You forgot #3 GET RID OF OBAMA, THANK-YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

  • Karen

    Cut our spending, not collect taxes from the wealthiest of Americans….now what about our Congressmen? Are they willing to cut “our” costs for their cars and car insurance and gas, (which they could deduct on their taxes). Are the willing to pay for their own Health Insurance? If they only serve one term do they think it is fare to collect a pension, especially if they are millionares

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