Raise the debt ceiling?

Thanks for the good discussion on the ethics reform initiative. FYI – my column this Sunday will be on that, as well. One clarification to “Truthseeker:” the anti-swearing part is on page 12, subsection (vi)(E). One of the ways to determine if a legislator exercised improper influence is to consider “whether the legislator employed inappropriate means, including the use of foul language…” This would, in effect, make foul language inappropriate, which in and of itself could lead to complaints before the commission if it happens during a discussion about any public matter.
Now for today’s topic — the national debt.
It’s high, you say? Well, it’s going to go much higher. This story says a group of six major trade associations is urging the Senate to raise the current debt ceiling of $12.1 trillion (that’s with a “t”), and to do it quickly.
The argument is that this is essential to maintaining the credit worthiness of the United States and to ensuring the confidence of global investors.
Frankly, Congress has no choice. It has to raise the cap. The House already has voted, but the Senate is stalling. That’s because this is politically … uh … touchy, to put it mildly. The public already is getting uneasy about the deficit and burgeoning debt, and everyone knows the president’s idea for a public option on health care reform would be expensive.
This story from a month ago discusses how free spending is hurting the president’s approval ratings.
Gee, I guess you can’t bail out of the nation, fight two wars, provide cash for clunkers and insure the uninsured without a tremendous cost. It will be interesting to see how Harry Reid tries to finesse this one.