Obama: Not Raising Debt Limit "Absurd", "Financial Disaster"

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By Stephanie Condon / CBS News

Story Created: Jan 14, 2013 at 9:24 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jan 14, 2013 at 9:24 AM AKDT

President Obama today shot down Republican threats to let the federal government default on its loans, saying, "To even entertain this happening... is irresponsible. It's absurd."

"We've got to pay our bills," Mr. Obama said in a White House news conference. He reiterated that while he is willing to compromise over plans for deficit reduction, he will not accept using the debt limit as a bargaining chip.

"They will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the American economy," he said. "The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip."

Within a matter of weeks, Washington is likely to be embroiled in three fiscal debates: The $16.4 trillion debt limit the Treasury Department is expected to hit by mid-February or early March, the $1.2 trillion in "sequester" cuts set to go into effect on March 1, and the expiration of the "continuing resolution," or federal government funding on March 27.

The risk of failing to address any of these issues is high, but failing to raise the debt limit poses the greatest threat: By failing to do so, Congress would risk letting the government default on its loans, which economists say would have disastrous consequences.

Mr. Obama today quoted House Speaker John Boehner on the issue, who last year said letting the government default would be "a financial disaster not only for us, but for the worldwide economy."

In spite of the president's warnings -- and the potential economic consequences -- Republicans say they're ready to use the threats of defaulting or a government shutdown to win significant spending cuts in the next round of negotiations. Ideally, the GOP wants dollar-for-dollar cuts in exchange for raising the debt limit.

"In another month from now, all these tea party people and others are going to be together and using that as the hammer to get that done, and I feel very good about that," Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., told CBSNews.com about the threat of defaulting.

While many Republicans are willing to use the threat of default as leverage, even more are reportedly willing to let the government shut down.

"I think it is possible that we would shut down the government to make sure President Obama understands that we're serious," Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., the fourth ranking Republican in the House, told Politico. "We always talk about whether or not we're going to kick the can down the road. I think the mood is that we've come to the end of the road."

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Anonymous said on Monday, Jan 14 at 3:56 PM

You'd swear he's trying to bankrupt us...

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ColdNAK said on Monday, Jan 14 at 11:56 AM

What's "absurd" is they keep raising the debt limit but the debt isnt falling and they aren't paying any bills. Its like a bank that keeps giving you loans and you aren't making any payments. Wake up idiots! Top idiot included.

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