Politics

Heritage Foundation comes out against McConnell plan

Amanda Carey Contributor
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The Heritage Foundation came out in full force against the back-up plan proposed this week by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the absence of a deal on raising the debt limit.

In a post titled “Shame on the Politically Motivated McConnell Plan to Hike Borrowing With No Spending Cuts,” vice president of domestic and economic policy David Addington, a former Dick Cheney chief of staff, accused McConnell of caving under political pressure.

Addington argued that the plan would do nothing good for the country because it would essentially allow the debt limit to be raised by more than $2 trillion.

“The McConnell Plan would put America deeper into debt and achieves nothing toward the vitally important objective of getting federal overspending and overborrowing under control,” wrote Addington.

Moreover, Addington continued, the back-up plan is not an escape route for Republicans to put the responsibility on President Obama.

“If the outcome of the current presidential-congressional negotiations over how to get spending under control is the McConnell Plan … then Senator McConnell and every congressional Republican who votes for it will bear as much political responsibility for this action as President Obama and the Democrats,” he wrote.

The bottom line for Addington? Don’t raise the debt limit without cutting spending. (House to act on Cut, Cap, Balance Act)

McConnell’s proposal, if adopted, would give President Obama the authority to submit requests to raise the debt limit. Congress would have to vote to block the increases, but it would be subject to a veto by Obama.

Earlier this week, McConnell’s plan brought swift backlash from conservatives, who accused the minority leader of selling out and failing to promote real reforms.