Tea Party To Republicans: 'Hold The Line' Against Debt Ceiling Deal, Bring Back 'Cut, Cap And Balance' (PHOTOS)

WASHINGTON -- In the midst of tense negotiations over the nation's debt ceiling, an all-star cast of Republican lawmakers addressed a Tea Party rally held adjacent to the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon, calling for GOP leaders to "hold the line" against plans without a balanced budget amendment.

The rally, organized by the Tea Party Express and American Grassroots Coalition and attended by roughly 75 supports and press, featured GOP Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), as well as Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah).

Their message to the Republican leadership: bring back Cut, Cap and Balance, a House-passed bill to raise the debt ceiling that failed in the Senate earlier this month. As lawmakers struggle to find a deal to increase the debt limit before the Aug. 2 deadline, Tea Partiers have stuck to Cut, Cap and Balance, which has major spending cuts and a balanced budget amendment, as the ideal path forward.

But the House GOP leadership put forward another plan, presented earlier this week by Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). That plan, in a sop to Tea Partiers, included a requirement for a vote on a balanced budget amendment, but would not require passage of the amendment -- falling short in the eyes of some far-right lawmakers.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said on Wednesday that the Boehner plan also cuts too little, after the Congressional Budget Office reported on Tuesday evening that the bill would cut less than expected.

"If we can keep cutting one trillion dollars every 10 years, then in 150 years we can balance the budget," Gohmert joked.

GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain made a surprise appearance, stopping by to talk to reporters and supporters but skipping the stage. He said he is still unsure how he feels about the Boehner plan, adding he thinks the debt limit need not be raised to avoid default.

"I don't know enough details about it because it keeps moving," Cain told reporters. "That's the problem with it, it keeps changing. I support the concept of the balanced budget amendment."

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) said he could not support the Boehner plan because it does not require passage of the balanced budget amendment. Still, he said his leadership deserved support.

"Give John Boehner, give Eric Cantor all of the credit in the world," Walsh told the crowd. "But embolden them. Let them know that the American people are ready for a real reform. They need your help."

Photos from Wednesday's rally are below:

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Tea Party activists gather on Capitol Hill for a 'Hold the Line' rally on June 27, 2011 in Washington, DC. With the debt limit impasse reaching a critical juncture, activists from all sides of the debate are reaching out to members of the U.S. Congress. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Tea Party activists gather on Capitol Hill for a 'Hold the Line' rally on June 27, 2011 in Washington, DC. With the debt limit impasse reaching a critical juncture, activists from all sides of the debate are reaching out to members of the U.S. Congress. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Comments

[sherpeace]

11:13 PM on 08/15/2011

I agree! End the wars NOW!!!

[orbitxal1]

07:45 PM on 08/15/2011

Slash your home monthly spending almost in half immediately. When the money runs out just don't pay anymore bills. See how that works. That's the situation our country is in at the moment borrowing about 40 cents of every dollar spent. So something else needs to be done in the short term before the country can get the spending lower for the long term.

[gh3b4]

11:18 AM on 08/06/2011

The Tea Party needs to go away.
We need a Strong Independent strong minded Businessman/ Woman to run for President,
not some power hungry politician out for themselves.

[VonMarco]

01:58 PM on 07/30/2011

This illustrates true republican ideaology. Resistance to change, keep things as they are or moving progress back to a period in the 20th century or earlier. How else can you explain adults parading around with three pointed hats, shouting, I want my country back! Who took it? The majority of those complaining are the ones that have lost only 16% of their net worth since 2008. Do you see anybody who has lost 50% plus shouting they want their country back in pointed hats? Tim Wise, google him, calls this WHITE privelege! A country led by racist policies is a country doomed in this century! Think about it....divided we fall....together, we prosper in what we call the United States of America.

[silversister]

02:00 AM on 07/29/2011

What they want is to see a complete collapse of the Federal Government. They know nothing of actual history and then have the audacity to call themselves patriots? The party of "don't tread on me", has obviously had someone tread across their brains...
This my fellow americans, is what happens when the "Lunatic Fringe" is allowed to take over. A party of uneducated talking heads, supported by a grassroots mass of ignorant folk, who are more worried about keeping their guns, and getting that black fella out of the White House, than about preserving the wellbeing of the United States...

I think all the baggers should move to Texas, and they can then secede from the Union... We'd be a much better country without them, and the IQ average of US citizens would then rise markedly...

[The Contrary]

11:18 PM on 07/28/2011

American public is misdirected by the debt ceiling debate hubris.Priority 4 gov't policy now is to create jobs. Once economy picking up, long term fiscal policy needs to be enacted.Think for a moment, how America became prosperous economically & strong militarily for years and others around the world want to become one? The world has changed&standing still will only lead to our own peril. According to Thomas Friedman,success American history was build on 5 basic pillars:educating the work force up to & beyond whatever technology demands; building the world’s best infrastructure of ports, roads & telecommunications;attracting the world’s most dynamic & high-I.Q. immigrants to enrich our universities&start new businesses;putting together the best regulations to incentivize risk-taking while curbing recklessness (not always perfectly); & funding research to push out the boundaries of science & then let American innovators & venture capitalists pluck off the most promising new ideas for new business. He went on to say, “...given our current fiscal predicament, where should we cut spending & where must we raise new tax revenues so that we can bring our gov't back to solvency &,at the same time, reinvigorate our formula for growth and success.” ( source: NYTimes).So stop listening hogwash from pundits&clue-less politicians.Demand our elected officials to enact policy to grow economy now while working on long term debt issue once economy is on track.Remember, misguided tax cuts and un-financed war adventure are not the solutions. We already tried, ask George,Donald,Dick,Karl.

[tj101]

10:02 PM on 07/28/2011

Joe Walsh? The guy who owes $100,000 in back child support wants us to believe he's fiscally responsible?

[itsmeuc]

09:54 PM on 07/28/2011

Maybe some of their subsidies might have to be cut...

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/03/31/welfare_tea_parties

[rfmaneater]

08:31 PM on 07/28/2011

75 PEOPLE SHOWED UP

I just realized I have 4x's the amount of people following me on Huffington post then these clowns do.

[Muhtadi]

12:33 AM on 07/29/2011

Ya they are a minority - so I guess they don't deserve to have any rights or a voice. Mob rule right?

Tea "parties" will never have that great of attendence because of course, most members have jobs so they don't have much time to sit in a circle and beat a drum.

Of course, they also don't have unions shipping in BUS LOADS full of PAID PROTESTERS like they did in Wisconsin.

[rfmaneater]

01:21 AM on 07/29/2011

And I said all that. Another delusional ranting idiot.

[lrfreddi]

08:22 PM on 07/28/2011

Exhausting! I went to the bank today and withdrew every dollar not earmarked for a now pending obligation. I took the funds and buried them deep in the earth, though not deep enough to require hydraulic fracturing. When I was satisfied that my legacy was secured like Boehner, I cried and it was a wailing kind of cry but not enough to ruin my $ 1,700 dollar make-up job. Then as I rose from my knees I felt the pressure of someone lowering the debt ceiling which of course made me glad for now I am like Trump in that I owe much less than yesterday. All is right with the world the parties can and should agree, that I am a lowly American and no one will pay the ransom for me!

[ronkw]

07:11 PM on 07/28/2011

I am delighted that Bohner didn't have the votes to pass his latest.
Stick to Cut,Cap,Balence. end of story....Nov elections have consequences

“The president’s $2.7 trillion debt limit increase is anything but routine,” she said. “His increase will be the largest debt increase in the history of the nation and here is the kicker: We can give the president $2.7 trillion in increase [but] it will only last one year.”

“Only one time have we raised the debt limit more than a trillion and that increase was for $1.9 trillion -- and guess what, that also occurred under President Barrack Obama’s watch,” she said.
Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.)

[Obama Lady 2008]

03:51 AM on 07/29/2011

Bachmann was interviewed on CNN and tells interviewer, "it's the congress that spends the money not the president. He is prohibited to do that, If he had the power to do that, he'd be a dictator." Does that mean Bachmann is admitting Obama didn't spend the money, she's been claiming he has???

[ronkw]

01:35 PM on 07/29/2011

Congress allocated the Funds for HIS programs and requests.
So yes, he spent the money

[ChristianEcon.com]

05:46 PM on 07/28/2011

How about we cap and cut welfare for the idle rich and pay working people and those making the sacrifices for a change? Let the rich learn a skill and get jobs for the next 30 years, for that matter.

[Muhtadi]

12:39 AM on 07/29/2011

The idle rich? Like career politicians/trust fund babies like Governor Mark Dayton or Nancy Pelosi? Are you actually suggesting to confiscate their wealth force them into slavery for 30 years?

[Obama Lady 2008]

03:54 AM on 07/29/2011

He/She said, "Cap & cut" their corporate welfare...not enslave them???

Tea baggers are fricking nuts!

[VonMarco]

02:03 PM on 07/30/2011

What??????

[John Roman]

05:10 PM on 07/28/2011

Human race to Tea Party: Put down your 3 cornered hats and your pretend muskets and take these pills. Good. Now, repeat after me: "I am an American, I live in the 21st century. The wealthiest and the most profitable industries, the ones that have benefitted most from America's vibrant free enterprise system should pay a proportionately fair slice of tax revenues". Good, you're doing fine. Now repeat this: "The tax rates during the term of our patron saint Ronald Reagan would be fine and would greatly expedite achieving our revered balanced budget goals". Great. You did great, now lie down and think of some nice things to say about liberals.

[dmsdzinr]

04:20 PM on 07/28/2011

There is only ONE REAL Joe Walsh. I know him personally. He has always been a Great Guitarist, Writer and Singer. He is ONE funny guy. He has done loads of drugs during his life, BUT he puts this politician to SHAME when it comes to Common Sense Intelligence..

[ChristianEcon.com]

05:47 PM on 07/28/2011

Love the authentic Joe Walsh. Fanned.

[Joel Smithis]

05:56 PM on 07/28/2011

So is it power that corrupts weak people so easily?

[Biz Mark]

03:51 PM on 07/28/2011

The tea party needs to sort out its DEAD BEAT DAD ! situation and STOP TRYING TO DESTROY AMERICA IN THE NAME OF RACISM!!

[Robert Manuel Estrada]

09:56 PM on 07/28/2011

It's actually veiled racism in the name of economics and security

[VonMarco]

02:08 PM on 07/30/2011

Overt racism has been revealed since the election of a person of color to the WHITE house!