Pawlenty Urges GOP To Call Obama’s Bluff On The Debt Ceiling

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal and on Fox News Sunday, Former Minnesota Governor and 2012 Republican Presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty has made his statement about where he will stand in regards to getting the countries fiscal house in order by calling on GOP Congressional leaders to stand up to President Obama and the Democrats assertion that failure to raise the debt ceiling would be a ‘disaster’. White House economists have said it be an inevitable economic disaster to use the debt ceiling as’ a negotiating tool.’ Long-term interest rates remain at historically low levels, indicating no urgent need for dramatic austerity measures, they say, adding that such cuts in the short run would ‘jeopardize the economic recovery.’

The former Minnesota Governor stated that Congress and the White House should pass legislation that would put interest and debt payments ahead of other federal spending and allow the federal government to pay its creditors as tax revenue flows in. With the surge of tax payments that come in between April and June, that would at least buy time to try to cut spending dramatically, he said. “This debate about how we’re going to restructure spending is inevitable. My view is, let’s have it now,” Mr. Pawlenty said, “Let’s call their bluff.”

Joining Pawlenty in his belief that the debt ceiling should not be raised is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who has drawn the national spotlight since taking office for taking dramatic steps to cut New Jersey’s budget gap.

Pawlenty also questioned President Obama’s stance in 2006 as a Illinois Senator against raising the debt ceiling during the George W. Bush administration. A move the President now says that would be ‘reckless’ for Republican’s to make. On the Senate floor in 2006, then Senator Obama stated, “The fact that we’re here today to debate raising America’s debt is a sign of leadership failure. Leadership means the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit.” A statement to which Pawlenty said, “His positions then and now are wildly inconsistent and reflect hypocrisy.”

If his challenge is taken on by those in his own party, some whom which are in support of raising the debt ceiling, will become a heated topic as it is reached early this spring. It is apparent that Tim Pawlenty however is making his economic stance well known to those who see it as the number one issue leading up to the 2012 primaries. Taking the lead on the debt issue could be the leadership role and topic Pawlenty needs to get his name out and mentioned amongst the Huckabee’s, Palin’s and Romney’s.