The Shutdown/Debt Ceiling

[hincapie]

Originally Posted by Toby

Common misconception re: the debt ceiling. It has nothing to do with future spending, this about money that has already been spent (for things like unfunded wars, etc.).

Indeed and as such its probably inevitable to raise the debt ceiling right now .... but balancing the budget is the only way to avoid having to do it until interest payments take up such a chunk that nothing is left for anything else. Clinton managed it for a while ....