Micheal McAuliff, of Huffington Post, reports "Some in GOP Would Pay China Before Seniors In A Debt Default" (7/13/11 03:09 PM ET Updated: 7/13/11 06:23 PM ET)
What a great day for Democrats showing fighting spirit on the debt-ceiling. It's an embarrassment of riches. Just after President Obama dress down the obstructionist GOP weasal Eric Cantor for suggesting we drag this daily agony, of GOP debt-ceiling blackmail, now Nancy Pelosi delivers a broadside right into the vulnerable underbelly of the Republicans.
If seniors, the disabled, the retired, those who need health care, the poor, and working class don't know who is on their side and who isn't, by now, House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi set them straight.
On a day that started with Moody's warning it might have to down grade America's debt rating, and President Obama walking out of the debit meeting when Eric Cantor suggested a long series of short-term extension, Pelosi says this.
WASHINGTON -- Republicans may be accusing President Obama of "scare tactics" in saying a default could halt Social Security checks, but House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says some in the GOP may actually prefer stiffing the elderly.
"I've heard some on the other side say we should pay the Chinese government before we send out a Social Security check," Pelosi said, even as she argued that leaders need to worry about reaching a debt agreement before focusing on who gets hurt if they don't.
"We do have to honor our debt," Pelosi said. "But we have to fight very hard to make sure we don't have to make those kind of choices.
Pelosi's China charge referred to legislation offered by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) that would have ensured government holders of U.S. debt get paid first. Her words were sparked by a National Republican Senatorial Committee political memo released Wednesday for GOP Senate candidates. It accused the president of scaring seniors by telling CBS in an interview they might not get checks on Aug. 3, a day after the deadline for hiking the country's $14.3 trillion debt limit.
And it alleged the administration might go further than a TV warning and use federal resources to scare seniors even more.
"The Obama Administration may go so far as to send letters to Social Security and Medicare recipients, or to federal employees, including members of our armed forces, in the days ahead claiming that they may not receive their due compensation and benefits," said the memo from NRSC boss Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).
"All of this would be done under the guise of official government business -- and a cost of tens of thousands of tax dollars -- but with a very clear political purpose," the memo charged.
I'm glad the Democrats are taking a hard line on this. And, I think we ought to open up the advertising coffers and run a massive wave of this attacks ads on the GOP, to hit while they are weak, and set the stamp on the mold in the public mindset as it is forming.
What's happening here? Democratics are disgusted with GOP political opportunism, and holding the naiton hostage to their extremist agenda.
Voters will go, "oh, OK, that makes sense." Then we will have chosen and created our best battlefield for fighting out the rest of this eleciton. And, will be what is best for our country, at the same time.