During Bush Presidency, Current GOP Leaders Voted 19 Times To Increase Debt Limit By $4 Trillion

[daa]

Source: Think Progress

After pushing the government to brink of shutdown last week, Republican Congressional leaders are now preparing to push America to the edge of default by refusing to increase the nation’s debt limit without first getting Democrats to concede to large spending cuts.

But while the four Republicans in Congressional leadership positions are attempting to hold the increase hostage now, they combined to vote for a debt limit increase 19 times during the presidency of George W. Bush. In doing so, they increased the debt limit by nearly $4 trillion.

At the beginning of the Bush presidency, the United States debt limit was $5.95 trillion. Despite promises that he would pay off the debt in 10 years, Bush increased the debt to $9.815 trillion by the end of his term, with plenty of help from the four Republicans currently holding Congressional leadership positions: Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl. ThinkProgress compiled a breakdown of the five debt limit increases that took place during the Bush presidency and how the four Republican leaders voted:


June 2002: Congress approves a $450 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $6.4 trillion. McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor vote “yea”, Kyl votes “nay.”

May 2003: Congress approves a $900 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $7.384 trillion. All four approve.

November 2004: Congress approves an $800 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $8.1 trillion. All four approve.

March 2006: Congress approves a $781 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $8.965 trillion. All four approve.

September 2007: Congress approves an $850 billion increase, raising the debt limit to $9.815 trillion. All four approve.


Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/14/republican-leaders-debt-limit-hypocrisy/

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And Ryan says Obama is too partisan.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

1. Excellent information. KnR

I would love to see this and Rachel's breakdown of the speech go viral together!

[GreenTea]

2. Current REPUBLICAN Leaders Voted 19 Times To Increase Debt Limit By $4 Trillion - SCREAM IT!

THE DUPLICITY OF THE HYPOCRITICAL LYING ELITIST REPUBLICAN ASSHOLES!

[LaPera]

3. Bush increased the deficit (debt) by 6 trillion dollars & that does NOT include his two lying wars

for corporate profit!

And for six of those eight Bush years, Republicans had complete control (majorities) of both houses in congress and the Republicans rubber stamped trillions in Bush spending for the rich and their corporations!!

Bush also created the deregulation & signed the bank bailout bill on October 4th 2008

[upi402]

4. You aren't implying that Republicans are hypocrites are you?

:think:
Good post & great facts that the media hides.

[GreenTea]

5. k!

:kick:

[No Elephants]

6. I wonder how Democrats voted those same 19 times?

[GreenTea]

7. It wasn't "19 times" it was FIVE times - What's your point?

The "19 times" mentioned represents the four current republicans House leaders who voted on raising the debt ceiling FIVE times (times four) during Bush administration. (only Kyl veto NO once, which equals a total 19 times for the four republicans in question).

Certainly the Democrats want to raise it now and many did then HOWEVER, these sames four hypocritical republican leaders Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl. said yes FIVE times (Kyl FOUR times) when Republican President Bush wanted to raise the debt ceiling - But NOW the hypocritical four republican leaders are saying NO to Democratic President Obama.

That's the point being made here!

[FourScore]

8. Get the word out!!! k/r n/t

[indepat]

9. Of all the sterling qualities requisite for being a pub legislator, perhaps

blatant disingenuous hypocrisy more often outshines the others. :patriot:

[Igel]

10. They missed one.

As part of TARP the debt limit was raised by 800 billion. Remember TARP? The non-stimulus that was half-unreleased until "pay-go" Pelosi verified that Obama had requested that the House disburse it? That was approved a day or two before the inauguration, putting it officially under *'s watch (even though the paperwork meant that only Obama could ever actually spend it).


Then in early 2009, as part of the stimulus, Congress increased the debt ceiling by 800 billion.

Then in 12/09 by 300 billion.

Then in early 2010 by 1.9 trillion, setting a record.

For a total of $3 trillion since 2/2009. That's 2 years 3 months. If they pass another 1.9 trillion whopper they'll best *'s 8-year record for debt-ceiling increases in 2.5 years.

[raccoon]

11. K&R NT

[goodnews]

12. Excellent Post! Oh the hypocrisy. If this doesn't convince thinking

people of the utter hypocrisy of the Repukes on every single issue, I don't know what will.

Remember Cheney said: "Deficits don't matter" when then Sect of Treasury Paul O'Neil confronted him with the costs of the Iraq War. O'Neill of course was "retired"