Steny Hoyer: $13.7 Trillion Debt 'The Most Pressing Problem Confronting Our Country'

WASHINGTON -- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Wednesday that the country's $13.7 trillion debt is "the most pressing problem confronting our country," praising President Obama's deficit commission for making an "important contribution" to finding a solution.

"I want to say that I believe the fiscal commission is making a very positive contribution," Hoyer told reporters at his weekly pen and pad session at the Capitol.

The Maryland Democrat said bringing down and ultimately eliminating the country's operating deficits "will not be easy," but added that the more informed the American public is as to "what the options are," the better.

The president's deficit-commission report, which was released Wednesday morning, suggests cutting tax rates for top earners and corporations, as well as gradually raising the full retirement age to 69, and the early retirement age to 64.

Hoyer said that while he doesn't necessarily agree with the commission's specific proposals, he appreciates the national dialogue they've sparked by presenting Americans with options.

This "does not mean that I endorse every suggestion that was made in the commission's report," Hoyer stressed. "I'm sure that the two co-chairs probably don't agree on everything." But, he added, the report sets forth alternatives on how we can get from where we are to where we need to be.

Of course, the country has plenty of other problems too.

We've also got security problems, Hoyer said, adding that we ought to pass the defense bill and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" reform as well as the food safety bill.

"There are many, many important issues," he concluded, "but in the long-term they will be impacted by our ability to return to a fiscally responsible path."

Comments

[tompoe]

04:27 PM on 12/02/2010

Hoyer is really stupid.

[dieselis]

12:31 AM on 12/02/2010

Living Colour, its the Cult of Personality both sides share in the problem the GOP just takes the cake. "I saw the things you need to be I'm the smiling face on your TV. I'm the cult of personality. I'll exploit you, still you love me. I tell you one and one makes three I'm the cult of personality." Either we swallow it whole or feel we have no choice business as usual goes on. Sure deficits matter,the GOP acts like they just mattered 6mos ago they choose not to remember their the ones who simultaneously cut taxes and ran enormous deficits for 35yrs to provide welfare for the 5% wealthiest Americans and massive transfers of cash from the middle class to the wealthy. Demonize Obama and run on deficits that your the primary cause of and get swept back in the office. Obama's not with out fault his policies hurt him but the country's disdain having black blood in the White House in my opinion is the bottom line. He wasn't given a chance to succeed and the GOP leads the charge with white skin no need to be so blatant as to wear hoods and robes. Shamefully in truthfulness Obama failed to field enough jobs but the vote was more likely about the color of his skin than anything else. So at least we all know how far we haven't come as a Nation. Remember Tecumseh and combine tribes of like thinking of all colors and dance.

[Reno Fickler]

07:49 PM on 12/01/2010

It has taken them 40 years to create the "system" in which the rich people get all the money.
They have no intention of changing it.
The govt takes in $3.2 T and spends $4.5T per year.
Try earning $32,000 a year and spending $45,000 and see how long you last.

[Truth In Voting]

04:53 PM on 12/01/2010

This is not new. Democrats have ALWAYS been committed to lowering debt, Republicans just started (pretending) to care after Obama was elected. Look up their votes.

Remember when the Clinton administration made the unheard of $216billion payment to pay down the national debt, by far the largest in history? http://americanationaldebt.blogspot.com/2008/09/clinton-announces-record-payment-on.html Remember, this was after 3 years of budget surpluses - the first in decades.
Congressional Republicans then drove up national debt like a drunken president until Obama was elected, after which they suddenly became extremely outraged by national debt:

1996-2001: Debt Ceiling $5.95B

2002: Led by Speaker Hastert (R), House passes HR4775 raising Debt Ceiling to $6.4B.
Led by Tom Daschle (D), Senate rejects with S2551. Badgered by Bush &Republicans wanting tax cuts, Senate passes S2578.

2003: Led by Senate Leader Frist, House Speaker Hastert and Leader DeLay (all R), HouseJR51 passes, raising Debt Ceiling another 1trillion.

2004: Right after elections on Nov16, Senate Leader Frist (R) introduces another Ceiling increase, S2986, which passes both houses and gets Bush's signature by Nov19!

2006: ALL Democrats except Landrieu vote NO on raising Debt Ceiling to $9B, ALL Republicans except Chafe, Collins, DeWine, &Ensign vote YES: http://uspolitics.about.com/b/2006/03/17/congress-sets-new-debt-ceiling.htm It still passes.

2007: New Democratic-led 110th Congress introduces HouseJR43, Senate stalls. CBO says limit will be reached within a month, Senate passes new trillion dollar Debt Ceiling.

[dieselis]

05:40 PM on 12/01/2010

Its to bad the American People won't have these things laid out for them in the main stream news cycles. Shed enough blood anywhere in the U.S.A and as the poor victims bleed the stories will lead the evening news. We continue to stand for and accept anything they shove in front of us. Civility is a lost art and people who should be banding together are at each others throats because of political,social,ethnic,religious ideologies and differences. While Rome burns to the ground and were all seemingly to selfish to care not realizing were destroying the very core of what made us such a great Country.

[elkhawk]

04:38 PM on 12/01/2010

Absolutely nothing matters anymore. Each politician comes up with something that is the most pressing problem. Each problem they come up with is NOT the most pressing problem. Steny is no different. The most pressing problem is getting Americans back to work. There is nothing else that is more important right now. Any politician that fails to see that is completely out of touch and needs to retire. I wish DINOs would go back to their Jurassic Park because we do not need them.

[Jmz4gtu]

06:58 PM on 12/01/2010

What I think is hilarious is the right can, with a straight face, say that "only the private sector can create jobs", then turn around and blame the Democrats for not creating jobs...

[atl50]

04:32 PM on 12/01/2010

Let's just file chapter 11

[Manx]

04:02 PM on 12/01/2010

And I thought the most pressing problem facing the country was unemployment. Raising the retirement age to 69 is just another way of eliminating Social Security, which has been a Republican goal for years. According to Paul Krugman, the commission's first priority is cutting tax rates with deficit reduction literally at the bottom of the list. Steny Hoyer is a corporatist posing as a Democrat.

[dwedge]

03:58 PM on 12/01/2010

If the deficit is the most important problem facing us, why this debate about the Bush Tax Cut? These cuts were a mistake and no one has offered any evidence that they have created any jobs or boosted the economy. Once the Bush tax cuts expire, anyone who can make a case for tax cuts that will bring jobs back to this country may do so. But to continually debate tax cuts that were never justfied in the first place does nothing to solve our problems.

[maxwelldog]

03:47 PM on 12/01/2010

"There are many, many important issues,"

Yes, legalizing marijuana.
End the Afghanistan war.
Ending the Republican backed subsidies to oil industries that drill here.
Creating roads for the twentifirst century. (the roads now are being built to standards set in the last century)
Getting a jobs bill onto the floor and voted positively on (folk are tired of unemployment)
More lean and more Green and less greasing the earmark states (porkmark states?)
How about less whining from passengers about flying (you use a ton more fuel to get there fast) and showing your "junk" as it were. A safer ride should also include you turning in your luggage a week in advance of the flight and it still goes on a different flight than people.
Extending unemployment payments until a jobs program is initiated.
Making politicians accountable for their campaign promises.

...Many important issues...

[R.W. Sanders]

03:24 PM on 12/01/2010

A Couple of Million Americans Ran Out of Money Today !

Because congress has such a convoluted sense of right vs. wrong, important vs. trivial, and exactly who they are sworn to represent, these two million will become homeless and hungry. By not realizing the importance of extending unemployment benefits, these millionaire congressmen have doomed these fellow Americans.

Many claim that these are lazy people. That they would rather try to live on less than 300 dollars a week, than to work. When there are five applicants for every single job, the math just does not work for that laziness argument. Most are hard workers that are having a rough time.

During a deep recession such as this one, it is imperative that our elected representatives act with compassion for their constituents. Yet, they want to make the "hard" choices but they know they will feel none of the pain. Our country is in danger in so many ways, that this is not the time for one group to take advantage of the other. But that is exactly what is occurring.

Congress needs to re-examine their values. Think in terms of people rather than units of expense. And quit picking on the old folks, please.

[bresponsible]

03:58 PM on 12/01/2010

There is still 200B unused stimulus. Why don't we extend through April 2011. Use that money.

[amblush617]

09:03 PM on 12/01/2010

F&F

I wrote just that to McConnell tonight .. asked him where his compassion is?!? .. that he's been giving the people of Kentucky & the country the finger so he can enjoy his nice tax break he's shares with the top 2% of the wealthiest .. bet on if I get an answer? lol

[binkyblue]

03:14 PM on 12/01/2010

With Democrats like Hoyer, who needs Republicans? Isn't anyone wiling to fight for lower 98%?

[CoachJM]

02:50 PM on 12/01/2010

Stenny,

No, unemployment is the most pressing problem facing our country.

The deficit is important too, but if we don't fix unemployment, the deficit really won't matter.

JM

[webgeek]

03:07 PM on 12/01/2010

Thank you.