Obama: No Negotiations On Debt Ceiling

Tell Congress what you really think, President Obama. In his last press conference of his first term, the president insisted Monday that he would not negotiate on the debt ceiling—although he said he is open to more spending cuts. “America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay their bills on time,” Obama said. “The full faith and confidence of Americans is not a bargaining chip.” Insisting the country is “not a deadbeat nation,” Obama told Congress that they couldn’t “tell me to spend X and then not give me the authority to go ahead and pay the bills.” House Speaker John Boehner responded within hours, saying the House will pass legislation to raise the debt ceiling—but he remained firm on enacting spending cuts.