GOP points out Schumer voted against raising debt ceiling

Republicans are responding to demands by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) that they renounce threats not to raise the debt ceiling, by pointing out that Schumer himself has voted against increasing it in the past.

Schumer, when he served in the House minority and Senate minority, voted against raising the debt ceiling, Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) office pointed out Tuesday.

He voted against it in 1997 and 2003 in the House and in 2004 and 2006 in the Senate.

“Sen. Schumer’s voting record is like a dagger aimed at the heart of his own credibility. It is clear that the American people will not tolerate a ‘blank check’ hike in the debt limit unless we deal with the real issue: out-of-control Washington spending. We’re listening to the American people, but the Democrats who run Washington, led by Sen. Schumer, are not,” spokesman Michael Steel said in an email to reporters.

Schumer spokesman Brian Fallon did not attempt to justify Schumer’s past votes when asked to respond.

“Rather than taking the U.S. to the brink of an unprecedented default, the responsible way to begin getting our debt under control would be for Speaker Boehner to help end taxpayer subsidies for oil companies making record profits. Speaker Boehner just last month said he agreed with the need to get rid of these wasteful subsidies. It is sad if he needs to backpedal now to defend Big Oil,” he said.

President Obama is seeking a $2 trillion increase in the nation’s $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by August. Boehner on Monday made clear the GOP wants trillions in “real” spending cuts in exchange. Democrats now acknowledge the need to restrain the deficit but want taxes to be part of the solution.

When Obama was a senator he also voted against a debt-ceiling increase in order to demand fiscal reforms.

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