Hypocrisy Alert: Allen celebrates debt ceiling anniversary
Hypocrisy Alert: Allen celebrates debt ceiling anniversary Virginians would rather forget
Richmond, VA -- George Allen has made his opposition to raising the U.S. debt ceiling a centerpiece of his reelection campaign to the U.S. Senate. Last summer he urged Republicans to use the debt ceiling vote (and the potential for economic disaster) as "leverage" to further a political agenda. This April, he joined Speaker Boehner in renewing their calls to use the debt ceiling vote as a political football.
But, Allen's newfound anti-debt rhetoric is diametrically opposed to the actions he took during his six years in Washington. In fact, on this very day in 2003 Allen made his second of four votes to raise the debt ceiling, none of which were tied to any of the spending cuts or restraints he so favors today.
His vote exactly nine years ago today is a particularly glaring example of Allen's hypocrisy. As the Senate prepared to vote on a debt ceiling increase, several Democratic Senators offered an amendment to reinstate the very same "Pay-Go" rules that helped create a record surplus by requiring offsets for additional spending. It should not come as a surprise to regular readers of Allen Hypocrisy Alerts, that our former Senator voted against tying debt ceiling increases to spending restraints, but now campaigns on the promise of rejecting debt ceiling increases that do not come with "ironclad" spending reductions.
"If running a reelection campaign promising to oppose the exact types of debt ceiling hikes you voted for four times isn't rank hypocrisy, I'm not sure what is," said DPVA Executive Director David Mills. "As we celebrate the ninth anniversary of George Allen's vote to extend the debt ceiling while rejecting commonsense rules to control spending, Virginians are right to wonder how George Allen is going to help us solve a mess he helped create.
"Instead of trying to pretend that he never served six failed years in the Senate, George Allen should explain why voters should believe his rhetoric when his record is the exact opposite."
Background:
On May 23rd, 2003, Allen Voted To Raise The Debt Limit. [Vote 202, 5/23/03]
2003: Allen Voted Against Amendment to Debt Limit Legislation That Would Have Restored Pay-As-You-Go Rules. In 2003, Allen voted against an amendment to legislation raising the debt ceiling that would have required the Senate to return to pay-as-you-go budget rules. The amendment was sponsored by Senator Feingold and co-sponsored by Senators Carper, Cantwell and Feinstein. The amendment failed 47-52. Republicans John McCain and Olympia Snowe joined with 44 Democrats and 1 independent (Jeffords) to vote in favor or restoring pay-as-you-go rules. [S.Amdt 835 to HR Res 51, Vote 200, 5/23/03]
Allen Voted to Raise the Debt Limit Four Times. [Vote 148, 6/11/02; Vote 202, 5/23/03; Vote 213, 11/17/04; Vote 54, 3/16/06]
Allen: "This Debt Ceiling Vote is a Key Place Where We Have Leverage." At a campaign event in Staunton, Allen said: "This debt-ceiling vote is a key place where we have leverage. . . . I think it has to be coupled with truly ironclad reductions in spending. If they don't, then they're not going to get the votes. And so I look at this as a really important leverage point." [George Allen at Staunton Campaign Event, 5/2/11]
April: Allen Again Said He Would Refuse To Raise Debt Limit Unless Conservative Demands Were Met. "So I can't see any increases in debt limits unless there are concrete step - concrete iron clad spending restraints because we're loading future generations such dangerous levels of debt." [RPV Debate, 4/28/12]
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