Blog

McCaskill flip-flops on debt ceiling, is now “playing chicken” with vote

May 31, 2011

Just weeks after accusing Republicans of “playing chicken” by attempting to tie any increase in the debt ceiling to spending cuts, Sen. Claire McCaskill has flip-flopped and is now seeking to link the debt ceiling increase to tax increases on domestic energy companies.

According to The Hill newspaper, McCaskill has joined several liberal Senators in demanding that tax increases on the energy companies “must be part of any agreement you reach to raise the debt ceiling and lower the deficit.”

“It is the height of hypocrisy for Claire McCaskill to ‘play chicken with the debt limit vote’ after accusing Republicans of doing the same thing.  Last month, McCaskill called the Republican push for spending cuts ‘profoundly irresponsible.’  Unbelievably, McCaskill has flip-flopped and is now demanding higher taxes as a condition of her vote,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.  “Sadly, Claire McCaskill still doesn’t get it.  Every Missourian knows that our nation is spending too much—not taxing too little.”

BACKGROUND:

April 2011: McCaskill demands ‘clean’ debt ceiling vote and calls it “profoundly irresponsible to play chicken with the debt limit vote.” McCaskill is hesitant to directly tie the debt ceiling to other issues in the same legislation. “Failing to raise the debt ceiling would cause a financial panic that would be devastating to the economy,” said McCaskill’s spokeswoman, Laura Myron. “She thinks it is profoundly irresponsible to play chicken with the debt limit vote, especially to pursue divisive social issues.”  (St Louis Beacon, April 11, 2011)

May 2011: McCaskill flip-flopped on her demand for a ‘clean’ debt ceiling vote and is now demanding a tax increase on domestic energy companies in exchange for her support. The group — led by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) — sent a new letter outlining their stance to Vice President Biden, who is leading talks with Republicans on reaching a deficit-cutting deal needed to secure votes to raise the nation’s debt ceiling… The letter states that cutting industry tax breaks “must be part of any agreement you reach to raise the debt ceiling and lower the deficit.”…Names on the list includes some of the members who are politically vulnerable in next year’s elections, including Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio.). (The Hill, May 31, 2011)