Palin: 'Hells no' I wouldn't raise debt limit

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) on Friday doubled down on her opposition to raising the nation's debt ceiling. 

"Hells no. I would not vote to increase that debt ceiling," she said during an interview on Fox News, where she is a paid contributor. 

Palin, a potential GOP presidential candidate, has long been opposed to raising the nation's $14.3 trillion debt limit.

But she indicated Friday she is willing to go further than Republican leaders in Congress and some other GOP presidential candidates, who are demanding that spending reforms be attached to a vote to raise the debt ceiling.

"It turns my stomach to hear this assumption articulated that we have to, despite the fact that we are raking in the federal government $6 billion a day," she said. "Take that money and service our debt first and pay down some of that debt. Make sure that we are showing the international financial markets and our lenders that we're serious about getting our debt and our deficit problems under control."

The debate over the debt limit is expected to kick into full gear next week when Congress returns from the spring recess. GOP presidential candidates could pressure Republican leaders in Congress to hold out for major concessions from Democrats, who want a "clean" vote to raise the borrowing limit.

Palin said that raising it would show that the government is not serious about fixing its fiscal woes.

"Otherwise it just shows the American public that we aren't serious, yet we are still going to incur more debt."

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