OPINION:
When it comes to the ongoing federal debt problem, there is considerable room to agree with House Speaker John A. Boehner that President Obama is made of Jell-O.
Not too long ago, in his campaign to increase the national debt ceiling, Mr. Obama actively sought a “clean” congressional bill - that is, one without any tax-revenue increases and without any spending cuts. That was then. Now, Mr. Obama is demanding a hefty tax increase included in the legislative package to raise the debt ceiling. Apparently, he has suddenly concluded that such a tax increase is “important,” despite the fact that since the demise of the clean bill, nothing of any economic consequence has transpired to warrant his current demands.
He asserts that the tax increase is needed to produce a “balanced approach.” That simply begs the question. The proposed tax increase in his balanced approach will only make economic conditions worse, not better.
In insisting upon his proposed tax increase at the risk of driving the federal government into default, Mr. Obama seems to believe that the American public has not been following the news closely enough to recall that when the clean bill was being considered by Congress, he did not consider a tax increase important enough to be included in the legislative package. Then, he expressed no specific interest for a tax increase to go along with a rise in the debt ceiling. Now he considers it to be so important he’s willing to risk an economic crisis.
Like Mr. Boehner said, the Obama administration is made of Jell-O. Certainly, it must be Jell-O because, as the saying goes, jam doesn’t shake that way.
HARRISON E. MCCANDLISH
Alexandria
Please read our comment policy before commenting.