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Warren Buffett: It's 'Dumb' Not To Raise The Debt Ceiling

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Crabtownboy

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Of course Buffett is correct, but politics over rides rationality with the Tea Party and, sadly, the GOP these days.

NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said that politicians not lifting the U.S. debt ceiling would be "pretty damn dumb" and viewed a prolonged political standoff on the issue as "disturbing."

"The market is not going to fall apart," Buffett said in an interview aired on CNBC on Friday, because markets will only expect politicians to act irrationally for a certain length of time.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/20/warren-buffett-debt-ceiling_n_3960357.html
 

Tom Bryant

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Yes, what the US needs is more debt! I give that advice to people all the time when they come in with huge credit card debt. I tell them just get some more debt.

:BangHead:
 

InTheLight

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Of course Buffett is correct, but politics over rides rationality with the Tea Party and, sadly, the GOP these days.


I wish Buffett would have expounded on why it is "disturbing." It's probably because he knows, as we all do, that the debt ceiling will get raised. It always does. The disturbing part (I guess) is that politicians would use it as a last second hostage maneuver because their previous efforts to rein in spending have failed.

Of course, he's not concerned about his investments taking a dive nearly as much as the person planning on retiring in a year or three. That's the real crime here--people's livelihoods are being toyed with by idiots in Washington to make a political point.
 

InTheLight

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Yes, what the US needs is more debt! I give that advice to people all the time when they come in with huge credit card debt. I tell them just get some more debt.

:BangHead:

It's not about new debt, it's about paying for stuff that's already been legislated. It's for paying for things that we're already committed. That's why the credit rating is at risk. If the United States doesn't raise the debt ceiling they are telling the world that they may not honor their current financial commitments.

In order for it to be analogous to credit card debt it would be like the consumer calling up the credit card company and saying "I'll not be sending in a payment in December. Is that OK with you?" It's not as if the consumer is planning on adding to his credit card balance.
 

Revmitchell

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It's not about new debt, it's about paying for stuff that's already been legislated. It's for paying for things that we're already committed. That's why the credit rating is at risk. If the United States doesn't raise the debt ceiling they are telling the world that they may not honor their current financial commitments. Also, the U.S. debt is not analogous to credit card debt.

What the GOP wants is spending to stop in a way that requires raising the debt limit. For every dollar raised they want a cut somewhere else. No one has said not to raise the debt limit.
 

Tom Bryant

Well-Known Member
We are spending money we don't have. That's debt.

Raising the debt level just allows more spending of money we don't have.

Someday those we have borrowed from will come for the repayment but it won't be during Buffet's lifetime. It will be in the next generation.
 

InTheLight

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What the GOP wants is spending to stop in a way that requires raising the debt limit. For every dollar raised they want a cut somewhere else.

You are correct. However, it is a last ditch effort to get spending cuts. In other words, they've failed in their usual efforts to curtail spending and now they are throwing a "hail Mary" pass.

No one has said not to raise the debt limit.

Cruz, Lee, and Rubio Argue Against Raising Debt Limit
http://youtu.be/Z6TR_XrzTOs
 

Aaron

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Keep raising the limit, and spending will eventually stop. It won't be a planned cessation, but spending will cease.
 

Crabtownboy

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and by "rationally" you mean by doing what the President says,

No, I mean by jettisoning their fear of the Tea Party and working for the good of the people. This will mean working with Democrats and finding ways to help and not simply be obstructionist and at war with everyone but the rich.

Good politics is the art of compromise. In a compromise you do not get everything you want but you do get some of what you want.

The Tea Party is too far off center to do anything but hurt them in national elections. This will gradually also harm the GOP in state elections and finally in years to come in local elections.
 

InTheLight

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Good politics is the art of compromise. In a compromise you do not get everything you want but you do get some of what you want.


Yes, like accepting a tax increase on the wealthy in order to keep the current rates on everyone else, as was done on Dec. 31st. But sometimes you can't compromise and I guess the Repub's have decided that issue is ObamaCare. Stupidly they waited until the government runs out of money to take their stand.
 
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