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Thursday, July 14, 2011

2012 GOP Candidates Silent on McConnell Debt Plan

Republican presidential candidates are all but silent on Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell's proposal to sidestep a potentially disastrous government default on loan obligations.

Not one candidate has endorsed it, and Newt Gingrich has come out against it, tweeting: "McConnell's plan is an irresponsible surrender to big government, big deficits and continued overspending."

The hesitation to weigh in — by front-runner Mitt Romney and his rivals — underscores the challenging politics at play for GOP White House hopefuls in the fast-moving debate over increasing the United States' borrowing ability.

Most aren't in Congress, don't have a vote, and, thus, seemingly feel little obligation to wade into the specifics of the complex debate. When they do speak, they are being careful about what they say on the issue, perhaps mindful that whoever emerges as the eventual 2012 nominee — and party standard-bearer — will likely have to contend with the result of tense negotiations between the White House and Congress.

The Treasury Department says lawmakers have until Aug. 2 to extend the nation's debt limit to prevent a catastrophic government default on its bills.

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