Hinckley Blasts Congress On Debt Ceiling
Monday, August 01, 2011
Washington lawmakers appear on the verge of reaching an agreement that would avert a U.S. debt default this month, but Republican Senate candidate Barry Hinckley is criticizing Congress for playing the “blame game” while the economy faces a $14.5 trillion debt.
In a letter sent to supporters last week, Hinckley called for a “real solution” that would balance the budget and blamed Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation –specifically Senator Sheldon Whitehouse- for refusing to consider a GOP-backed plan that would have cut the deficit in half from last year and would include more cuts over the next decade.
“The Cut, Cap and Balance proposal that went to the Senate last week would have done just that,” Hinckley’s e-mail states. “This legislation includes a constitutional amendment that, once ratified by the states, would require the Federal Government to balance its books within five years. Unfortunately, status-quo politicians like Sheldon Whitehouse refused to even consider this proposal. By rejecting Cut, Cap and Balance outright, Whitehouse has admitted that he cannot (or will not) balance the federal budget – not within five years, not ever.”
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Hinckley, who is making his first run for office, continued his pitch by saying he is someone that has balanced budgets his entire career. He said it is time for new leadership in Washington.
“Enough is enough. Our irresponsible representatives in Washington are clearly not even capable of paying for what they buy,” he said. “That’s why, more than ever I believe that it’s time for a new generation of leaders. As a private-sector job creator, I’ve balanced my budgets and met my payrolls throughout my entire career. Acting responsibly in the business world is not radical; it’s common sense. Government should operate on the same basis. “
Whitehouse and Reed: Cut Responsibly
As talks continued last week, both Senator Jack Reed and Whitehouse maintained that Democrats have offered an appropriate amount of cuts without risking the livelihood of those living on Social Security and Medicare.
In a joint statement, the Senators blamed Republicans for creating a crisis. They said a default needs to be prevented for the long term so the economy has certainty and that Democrats have created a viable plan. They said Republican delay is putting America in danger of defaulting.
“Republicans have used the debt ceiling to manufacture a crisis that now threatens to plunge our economy into chaos,” the statement said. “There are some in the Republican Party who seem willing to march the country off an economic cliff that could hasten a ratings downgrade, interest rate spikes, and more joblessness. That would be devastating to middle class families, who are increasingly frustrated” The American people expect Congress to work together to keep our country from defaulting, achieve trillions of dollars in savings, and put our country back on a fiscally sustainable path.”
Government Is Out Of Control
But Hinckley isn’t buying it. He criticized Whitehouse and other members for continuing to borrow at a rate that is unsustainable. He claims Congress is passing its debt on to the next generation and that they have little to show for all the spending.
“Our government is out of control,” he said. “As a result of the reckless borrowing and spending of radical politicians like Sheldon Whitehouse, our Government now borrows – with interest – nearly 40 cents out of every dollar it spends. The consequences of this are very real – and catastrophic. Every baby born in America already owes over $400,000 toward the debt and unfunded liabilities of previous generations. And what do they have to show for it? High unemployment, rising inflation, and a stagnant economy.”
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