DeMint not swayed by Geithner's debt-limit case

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's latest attempt to convince some Republicans that boosting the debt limit is necessary does not seem to be gaining traction.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) maintained Wednesday that the government has "numerous tools" available to avoid a default, and that one would only occur if Geithner was unwilling to use them.

"Secretary Geithner's approach to dealing with the looming debt crisis is to take his hands off the wheel and let the car careen over the cliff," he said.

DeMint's statement comes in response to a letter Geithner sent to him and fellow GOP lawmakers, urging them to increase the debt limit, and dismissing any potential way to avoid default without it.

In Wednesday's letter, Geithner pushed back against GOP claims that the government could hit the limit and avoid default simply by prioritizing needed interest payments over other government spending. He called such an arrangement "radical and deeply irresponsible," and one that would do nothing to stave off a default. He added that presidents of both parties have always called for the debt limit to be increased when needed.

But DeMint said lawmakers will not support a "blank check" of a debt limit increase, calling for major spending reforms instead.

"We can't keep taking out new credit cards to pay off the ones we've maxed," he said. "It's time to pass a balanced budget amendment and force Washington to stop spending more than we're taking in."

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