As the dust settles around the debt deal struck earlier this week, it has become clear that Americans are not pleased with the outcome – and in many cases, far less enthralled with the leadership that has brought us here.
So, Congress has voted themselves a new max on our credit card and for the most part, folks aren’t that happy.
This video does a good job of summarizing what Americans thought about the debt limit and how to deal with it:
Now having a done deal signed and sealed, Americans resoundingly disapprove (82%) of Congress’ performance in the wake of the debt deal. While most of them (especially conservatives) disagree with the debt limit agreement forged by our leaders in Washington. Oh, and it appears that the markets don’t much like the idea of piling on additional debt either.
So how did the congressional delegation from Texas represent our interests on the deal?
TEXAS
Democrats — Cuellar, Y; Doggett, Y; Gonzalez, N; Green, Al, N; Green, Gene, Y; Hinojosa, Y; Jackson Lee, Y; Johnson, E. B., Y; Reyes, N.
Republicans — Barton, Y; Brady, Y; Burgess, Y; Canseco, Y; Carter, Y; Conaway, Y; Culberson, Y; Farenthold, Y; Flores, Y; Gohmert, N; Granger, Y; Hall, N; Hensarling, Y; Johnson, Sam, Y; Marchant, Y; McCaul, Y; Neugebauer, N; Olson, Y; Paul, N; Poe, N; Sessions, Y; Smith, Y; Thornberry, Y.
Of Texas’ Republican members of Congress, only five of them were as dissatisfied with the terms of the agreement as Americans were. As for the Senate, both Sen. Hutchison and Sen. Cornyn voted to approve the debt limit deal.
As we’ve mentioned previously, it is certainly an improvement to have such consternation over voting to increase the debt limit, but unfortunately many fear that despite the added pressure, Washington’s leaders have still failed to get the message that we have a spending problem that cannot be solved by increasing our debt limit, but must be addressed with spending cuts.
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Andrew Kerr is the Executive Director of Empower Texans / Texans for Fiscal Responsibility
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