Politics

Did GOP Break ‘Pledge to America’ During Debt Vote?

In Debt Vote GOP Breaks Pledge to Read BillPenny Starr at CNSNews.com pointed out this morning that House Republicans may have broken one of their most vocal promises from their 2010 campaign Pledge to America pitch when voting for Budget Control Act yesterday. The debt-limit bill, which is expected to save the U.S. from default for the first time in it’s history, was passed in the House yesterday with GOP support despite not being posted with the text online “for at least three days” before the vote.

“Explaining the Republicans’ vision in a response to President Obama’s radio address on Oct. 30, 2010—just before the election—Rep. John Boehner explained that ‘Americans should have three days to read all bills before Congress votes on them.

‘The American people are in charge of this country, and they deserve a Congress that acts like it,’ said Boehner. ‘Americans should have three days to read all bills before Congress votes on them–something they didn‘t get when the ’stimulus’ was rushed into law. We should put an end to so-called ‘comprehensive’ bills that make it easy to hide wasteful spending projects and job-killing policies. Bills should be written by legislators in committee in plain public view–not written in the Speaker’s office, behind closed doors.’”

Starr finds that the summary of how the Republican Congress has fulfilled the Pledge on the House Republican Conference’s Web site, reads on the section regarding the three-day rule: “A Three Day Waiting Period on all Non-Emergency Legislation.” The words “non-emergency” or “emergency” do not appear anywhere in the text of the original Pledge for America as published by the House Republicans.

Also considering the House has been aiming to pass debt-limit legislation by an Aug. 2 deadline ever since May 16 when Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the Treasury had bumped up against the statutory debt limit, is this really a sudden emergency? Or a last-minute result of behind-closed-doors political pandering?

In Debt Vote GOP Breaks Pledge to Read BillWhile the House Republican Conference has not responded to questions over the language change, Rep. Darell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, says that voting on the debt-ceiling legislation the same day the bill was posted online does not violate the “spirit” of the Pledge.

“’If this (bill) has a super-majority, if it has the president’s buy-in, if we’ve all known and been involved in seeing it worked out over the 72 hours, then the spirit of the 72 hours was kept,’ Issa told CNSNews.com.

Issa also mentioned the Aug. 2 ‘default’ deadline proclaimed by President Obama, noting the deadline could not be met if the bill were to be posted for 72 hours before a vote. ‘You can’t have 72 hours and not bust the Aug. 2 deadline. So I don’t think anyone in America thinks we are failing to keep the spirit and the reality of the situation.’”

In March 2009 then Speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi said “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of controversy,” in regards to the health care reform bill.

Are the circumstances different with the debt-limit negations? Is Rep. Issa right in regards to maintain the “spirit” of the Pledge? Or have Republicans reengaged

Comments (135)

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  • IM John Galt
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:15pm

    Of course they broke the pledge. The only question left is are they going to lie about it?

    Report Post »  
    • jjoy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 8:11pm

      Of course they are going to lie about it…

      In fact, they have done nothing but lie about since they voted to let obama spend more money that we don’t have…

      Haven’t you heard all the BS about what a great deal boehner and his rinos got for us voters???

      That “great deal”, amounts to a $7 trillion spending increase over the next ten years, not a spending reduction…

      How about the fact that the bill the rinos just shoved down our throats contains a clause stating that obama care will not be repealed???

      The rinos in congress no longer represent the American voters…

      Report Post » jjoy  
    • Shiroi Raion
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 9:46pm

      See if you Representative voted correctly here:
      http://www.gop.gov/votes/112/1/690
      Mine — He chose unwisely. He did well until this one. sigh

      Bachman, Chavetz, and Ron Paul — chose wisely.

      Report Post » Shiroi Raion  
    • BrianBDB
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 10:27pm

      This is why I have no faith in a balanced budget amendment. There’s always some “emergency.” We’re always at war with somebody.

      The only answer is to fire them all & replace them with people who have some guts.

      Report Post » BrianBDB  
    • SpankDaMonkey
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 11:27pm

      .
      Lie Cheat Steal then we vote them out of office with Life Time Benefit’s…………

      Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 12:01am

      My rep in Florida needs talking to and I’m going to do it!!!!

      Report Post » banjarmon  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 1:22am

      LOL Galt.

      I was thinking that exact same thing when I clicked in to comment on it. I just listened to Hannity and Greta while surfing the net, and I heard them interviewing Republican talking heads.

      First, it sounds like Palin is going to be their decoy this season so Liberals stay focused on her and ignore whomever they end up pushing. Some woman who does fundraising said Palin hasn’t been talking to any other “fundraising people” in the industry. Then Sean and another Republican start shouting about how Palin is unpredictable. Wow, Sean, I knew you were a Republican shill, but seriously man.

      Then there’s all this bowing and scraping before John Bohner. He’s using phrases like “the first-ever default in this country”. Why do they keep phrasing it that way? Why do both Liberal Progressives and Republican Progressives keep saying the phrase, “the first-ever default in this country”?

      Because it’s not the first time. They don‘t want you to look it up and find out we’ve come through default before. We need to restructure people. We must stop the spending and cut the programs.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • G.W. Dobbs
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 6:52am

      They ALWAYS LIE and break pledges. And Republicans ALWAYS CAVE in the last minute. There is no time to let “We The People” know what “they” are going to do…ON PURPOSE.

      Report Post »  
    • Bum thrower
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 8:48am

      Tea Party challenger for every SOB that voted “yes”!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 10:09am

      Comments “Of course they broke their pledge” and “Of course they will lie about it”. LOL. Get rid of ‘em in the primaries or they will continue to sell us out at every turn.

      Report Post »  
    • Pastor Ray
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 4:24pm

      YES! And they will pay for it!
      Psalm 109:8-15; Let his days be few; and let another take his office. [9] Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. [10] Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. [11] Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. [12] Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children. [13] Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out. [14] Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. [15] Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

      Report Post » Pastor Ray  
  • showmerancher
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:15pm

    Well… the great new debt ceiling increase bill may have been rushed through Congress, but it seems that it’s initial effect may be to slow down the economy, if that’s possible; but what can you expect when you pass the spending based on “we’ll get to the cuts later”? That’s NEVER worked before anyway, and this time it may work against us.

    The first read on business seems to be that any hiring, expansion, etc. will be on hold until after the “Super Congress” makes their proposal(s) and Congress acts on them one way or the other so that businesses can see what types of spending cuts are made or taxes might be coming their way. The proposals are due by Thanksgiving, the vote before Christmas, so other than some seasonal hiring, businesses might not do anything before next year. With the economy now looking as if it is sputtering back towards recession, there is even the possibility of layoffs to “get ahead” of the situation to cut costs, especially where inventory levels are sufficient to get through the holiday season.

    It would appear that putting off spending cuts/tax increases until the end of the year will create an uncertainty that will pull the economy back towards recession rather than spur its growth. Some of the trepidation may have come from the Republican’s initial proclamation that there would be only spending cuts and no taxes, but was rebutted by Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid who said that tax increases must be at least half of the solution

    Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:46pm

      I wonder what happened to Sheila Jackson-Lee saying she was going to read every word of it before she voted on it? I guess President Obama called her and said, “Do it for me, just vote it through so I can go to my birthday party.”

      Report Post »  
    • Servant Of YHVH
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 3:20am

      @loriann
      She probably did read it and I’m sure she loved every word of it just like all the democrats do. We have a republican party that had the democrat party completely over a barrel and could have just about had their way with anything that they wanted to do and what did they do? They gave the democrats every single thing that they have been wanting since this fiasco started months ago. This “debate” thing was just playacting by the RINO’s led by Boehner. The people did not get a single thing except for the democrats to “talk” about not spending later on in life. My wife and I pray every single day that every legislature, every judge and everyone in the White House either start legislating, judging and leading FOR the people of this nation and for the return of our freedoms and the return of our Godly Constitution or for us and God to remove them from their positions and for God to ensure that we get people in that will do these things. We have not missed one day with this prayer and we sure could use the help in the number of people praying this every day until God has to do something to show that He IS the all powerful God that will stand up for His People.

      Report Post » Servant Of YHVH  
  • jammin johnny
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:12pm

    I suggest the politicians who voted for this mess start getting their resumes ready.

    Report Post » jammin johnny  
    • tower7femacamp
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:16pm

      By supposedly compromising to raise the debt ceiling, Congress and the President have now paved the way for ever higher levels of federal spending. Although, the nation was spared the trauma of borrowing restrictions, the actual risk of default existed solely in the minds of Washington politicians. But the real crisis is not, nor has it ever been, the debt ceiling. The crisis is the debt itself. Economic Armageddon would not have resulted from failure to raise the ceiling, but it will come because we succeeded in raising it. This outcome falls along the lines that I had forecast (See my commentary, “Don’t Be Fooled by Political Posturing” from July 9th).

      Both parties are now pretending that the promised cuts in spending outweigh the increase in the debt limit. But the $900 billion in identified cuts are spread over a decade and are skewed toward the end of that period. There are an additional $1.4 trillion in cuts that the plan assumes will be identified by a bi-partisan budget committee. But similarly empowered panels in the past have almost never delivered on their mandates.
      http://www.infowars.com/debt-deal-is-a-blank-check/

      Report Post » tower7femacamp  
    • Sicboy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:19pm

      I’m a little worried about Glenn. If you heard him today, our country is domed. But, he’s been saying. In the end we’ll be ok. I don‘t think we’ll be ok, this country will pay for it’s sins. Probably soon. Much sooner then we think. And by the way you should move to the Southlake area of Texas, more like Keller TX, one city over from Southlake and Westlake, Glenn’s real home. You can buy my house. Great School District. To damn hot here. Moving to the beach.

      Report Post » Sicboy  
    • bigbear_awake
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 8:16pm

      they already made their MONEY from WE THE PEOPLE we LOOSE all The way around

      Report Post » bigbear_awake  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:11pm

    Without a doubt. They should all be out on their sorry b**** next election time, except for the TEA PARTY folks who stood their ground and the others who stood with them. Those who compromised are OUT!

    CHRISTIANS, are you ready to step up to the plate? NO PERKS! NO FREE TRAVEL! NO FREE NADA. You work for WE THE PEOPLE. minimum wage! Same health care as everyone else. No sweet offices, cars, protection……just WE THE PEOPLE. That’s it. Campaigns that cost over $5,000.00 cannot be elected, SORRY!!!! NO FOREIGNERS may serve, sorry. This is the way it is in any other country…….You are a citizen (born here) of and in that country, or you do not serve in elected or appointed office!!! HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLO, AMERICA!!!!!

    Throw them all out, esp. reid, pelosi, lee, rangle, brown, all czars, the current faux pres., etc. NO COMPROMISE. NONE.

    We are taking our country back in JESUS’ name, amen!

    Report Post »  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:11pm

    We all knew this was going to happen with this Bill. And, the article above says….

    “Rep. John Boehner explained that ‘Americans should have three days to read all bills before Congress votes on them.”
    and
    ‘Americans should have three days to read all bills before Congress votes on them–something they didn‘t get when the ’stimulus’

    Let‘s see how they do with Bills that don’t have a tight deadline like this one had.

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • Mtroom
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 4:43pm

      i feel this was the goal of the Dem’s ….to push it to a point to get what they wanted…more money to spend….and these Rep’s fell right in line with it…plus they are now gonna be the scapegoat …boy you’d think these career politicians would know the game by now ..weak spine,no, just out played in a game they aren’t any good at playing..

      Report Post » Mtroom  
  • qpwillie
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:09pm

    It’s tempting to think third party but dang, this country certainly wouldn’t survive another Obama term. ……..if it has a chance at this point anyway.

    Report Post » qpwillie  
    • vtxphantom
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:20pm

      Third party should be the right way to go, but it is not the smart thing to do. We need to take over the republican party. We started in 2010. We go a little farther in 2012. We absolutely need a T-party person in the WH. The dems are going to accuse us of everything, including murder, if they can get away with it. 2012 is going to be brutal, but we can do it. Need to keep the faith

      Report Post »  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:36pm

      Yeah, that is the biotch of it, isn’t it? Third parties usually come in, well, a distant third in the elections, and we simply CANNOT afford to let that evil little puppet have another four years in the White House to finish the job of destroying this country–if he hasn’t already succeeded before THIS term ends! And you can’t count on the Republicans to be any better than the leftist Democrats, in most cases. Top that off with the mainstream media determined to pick the Republican nominee–which they seem to have done in 2008 and are trying real hard to do for 2012–and it seems like an uphill battle to keep the SOB from winning another term.

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
    • novelator
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 7:56am

      Here is something neither the establishment Republicans or the Democrats want you to know:

      They’re going to keep throwing us back and forth between themselves, pushing us, pulling us, Left and Right, until we do make a third party. Of course, and here‘s the dirty little secret they don’t want you to know: a third party with a solid candidate would split BOTH the Democrat and Republican votes in 2012, which is why BOTH parties are saying no to a third party. The independents of this country, the swing voters, are completely fed up with both parties. Most of them see the game for what it is, but what is the alternative? This is not the same political climate that put Ross Perot into the race. The level of voter frustration with government and our so-called two-party system is at least 100 times higher than when Perot ran. But God forbid enough of us figure that out in time to get behind a third party and make a difference. So, they keep reminding us, subtly, of Perot’s loss instead of pointing out just how different the situations are, then as now. And we will miss the opportunity to create a party of the People, by the People, for the People, mainly, because we swallow their fears and make those fears our own.

      We should be bold, like our Forefathers, if only to avoid the bloody revolution coming to a city near you.

      Report Post » novelator  
  • kindling
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:06pm

    Get rid of all Czars. Get rid of PORK PROJECTS! Get rid of everything except national defense and social security and even then faze SS it to be taken care of by the states. The Commander-in-Chief is elected to be the head of national military……not head of health, education, farming. transportation, communication, business, manufacturing, retail, building, finance, and everything that states are supposed to be doing. ONLY BORDER PROTECTION!

    Report Post » kindling  
  • TelepromoterNChief
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:03pm

    Beohner will have more to cry about when he goes home to account for his actions.
    We the People are livid.

    Report Post »  
    • cloudsofwar
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:36pm

      i think boehners district must love him and will most likely reelect him. just like nancy peelosi’s district loves her.

      Report Post »  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:03pm

    If we as TeaParty Conservatives want to have control, the next election is pivotal. A start has been made and wringing our hands and whining like little girls does nothing toward eliminating DEMOCRATS from destroying our country. Have some spine and go after DEMOCRATS first, Rino’s second and things will turn around.
    Anybody but Barry 2012

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • kindling
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:11pm

      How about going after anyone that is for big government? RINO or Democrat or Republican……it makes no difference……get rid of them! They need to cut the out pour of tax money by a third every year. NO BASE LINE! Just freeze spending as of 1995 and get rid of every job that has been formed since then. Then get rid of everything that can be turned over to states and stick to the constitution as it was founded.

      Report Post » kindling  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:23pm

      In my Deep Blue state of Konnecticut, chances of getting a Conservative elected is slim. Too many Takers. Without control of both House and Senate and the Whitehouse , nothing is going to change. I agree about the Big Gov thing but we have to work positively to create this change. Have to admit , I am pissed, but we have to focus on the Goal. Dump Obama, Dump the Democrats, Dump the Rino’s

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • ImJustAGuy
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 12:08am

      You are EXACTLY right!! I have read all these posts and all I see is RINOS this and RINOS and I am pulling my hair out!. Boehner has a lifetime 94% conservative rating from ACU but he is a RINO? I like your strategy. TP needs to learn reality lessons form the Angle and O’Donnell debacle – 2 seats that should have been R but aren’t because of TP “principle’s”. If you try to primary out Scott Brown for example, don’t be surprised if that seat goes back to a dem.

      Report Post » ImJustAGuy  
    • ImJustAGuy
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 12:11am

      @13th, maybe we need to form a “sensible” wing of the Tea Party?? j/k but it amazing how easily fractured we can be – I like your thinking, keep it up!

      Report Post » ImJustAGuy  
  • Doni609
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:02pm

    That’s OK. These lying idiot politicians think that ‘we the people’ are too stupid and too distracted to notice who voted for what. Well, I have news for all the RINOs that voted for this pathetic piece of legislation……YOU’RE TOAST! Never have so few stolen so much from so many and the electorate will not forget. The RINOs should think about how they‘re going to make a living when they’re off the government teat. Good luck!

    Report Post »  
  • TelepromoterNChief
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:01pm

    Everyone knows now and come 2012 who supported this and who didn’t and will vote accordingly.
    2010 was a taste of things to come.

    Report Post »  
    • Gary_K
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:07pm

      So, I really hate starting a sentence with the word so, do you really think there will be elections next year? A little birdy keeps telling me something big is going to happen that will not go well for our freedom.

      Report Post »  
    • TruthSpeaker
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:30pm

      reply to gary_k : I have the same awful feeling….

      Report Post »  
  • Steel Awesome
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:01pm

    The Republicans let Obama and the Democraps maneuver them into a crisis situation with the debt limit increase so that they barely had time to take a dump let alone post the legislation. They screwed up big time.

    Report Post » Steel Awesome  
  • NOTYERHUCKLEBERRY
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:01pm

    As far as I’m concerned, they ALL betrayed us. It’s Washington politics as usual. I think I would let your reps and senators know that it’s time for retirement whether they like it or not.

    Report Post »  
    • BrianBDB
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 10:32pm

      My rep will be learning the error of his ways soon enough.

      Report Post » BrianBDB  
  • Bodysnatcher
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:00pm

    The answer is, TES they Did. And they are goingng to get Voted out.

    Report Post »  
  • kindling
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:59pm

    Why can’t congress just roll government back to a time when it was working correctly. We don’t need everything we have created in the last 30 or 40 years. We need go get back to basics. Just getting rid of the federal education programs would save billions of tax payer dollars. That should be taken care of by states.

    Report Post » kindling  
  • TiredOfLeft
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:59pm

    I hope the Tea Party Caucus can respond to this in a coherent and meaningful way. We are running out of life boats!

    Report Post »  
  • Mukichan
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:58pm

    Yes , yet another round of VERY WEAK men deceiving those who elected them,, Sad and I’m tired of it..

    Report Post » Mukichan  
    • chazman
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:10pm

      Obama will be re-elected in 2012. He will steal the election once again. It will happen because of the State Controlled Media and the millions of dollars that will pour in to him from the unions and Soros types. The illegals and the dead voters will pour out of the woodwork … just like the last election. That’s reality. That’s my nightmare …

      Report Post »  
    • streetrodder
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:33pm

      @Chazman.Get motivated, that kind of talk is’nt making it. He will loose and loose big.

      Report Post »  
  • vtech61
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:55pm

    It’s getting really close to:
    LOCK AND LOAD.

    Report Post »  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:55pm

    Yes.

    Report Post » Secessionista  
  • chazman
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:55pm

    They broke their pledge in more ways than one …

    Report Post »  
  • MoonPie
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:54pm

    Yes, the Repubs missed an opportunity to make things different. They were “bested” by the DemoRats once again.
    I just hope that the 2012 election has a better outcome.

    Report Post » MoonPie  
  • WakeUpAmerica1776
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:53pm

    Of Course… How many of them read the bill? Those that voted for this bill sold out America.

    Prepare to be challenged in the Primary.

    In a related story… the new way to spell Republican is “W H I G”. Like the Compromise of 1850, the Compromise of 2011 will be this parties undoing.

    Report Post » WakeUpAmerica1776  
  • godlovinmom
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:51pm

    I remember this little speech they gave us…apparently they lied…surprised?

    Report Post » godlovinmom  
    • Sicboy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:53pm

      It’s OK, it was for our own good. Such simpletons we are.

      Report Post » Sicboy  
    • tower7femacamp
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:57pm

      Adjusted for inflation, the United States spent at most $580 billion a year on defense at the height of the Cold War. In the 2011 fiscal year, the Pentagon’s baseline budget is $549 billion, with another $159 billion allotted for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for a total of $708 billion. That total figure drops slightly to $670 billion in the 2012 budget proposal.

      Obama’s $400 billion reduction would have started with the 2013 fiscal year, but the debt deal begins with the 2014 budget, effectively delaying the pain for the Pentagon by a year. Still, some defense hawks in Congress were worried that even the relatively modest cuts could go too far.

      Report Post » tower7femacamp  
  • fangbanger
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:51pm

    a huge pile of poop

    Report Post » fangbanger  
  • fdonnino
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:50pm

    Yeah…pledge this! Screw all these politicians. I am concerned when the super committee is now called the “Divine Dozen” God help us all….NOW! Burn these lies with the fire of your truth!

    Report Post »  
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