Post-inauguration, Obama must faces Congressional battles

MADISON (WITI) -- With the pomp and circumstance of Inauguration Day behind him, President Barack Obama must now focus on the coming Congressional battles. One of those battles involves the national debt limit -- an issue Wisconsin politicians are outspoken about.

Lawmakers in Washington will soon decide to raise the limit on government borrowing, but President Obama says he won't debate the issue.

"One thing I will not do is compromise over whether Congress should pay the tab for bills they've already racked up," President Obama said.

Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson says any increase should be contingent on spending cuts.

"What we should not do is increase the debt ceiling -- basically give the president the authority to increase the debt burden on our children -- without seriously addressing the spending issue," Johnson said.

Milwaukee Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Moore says that could result in the government defaulting on its debts.

"You don't do things like put the full faith and credit of the United States on the table," Moore said.

"President Obama doesn't want to debate it.  I think that's delusional.  We should debate this and we are going to debate it.  This is a very serious, serious issue facing this nation," Johnson said.

Moore says the debate over spending is separate from the debate to raise the debt limit.

"Playing with raising the debt ceiling is not a joke because it would have a global recessionary impact," Johnson said.

UW-Milwaukee Professor of Governmental Affairs Mordecai Lee says the debt limit has moved from an issue historically viewed as a necessity of public administration to an issue of partisan warfare.

"This is about paying the bills that we've said we're going to pay. In other words, it's not a vote on new deficit, new spending.  It's just a vote on past deficits, past spending," Lee said.

House Republicans, reportedly encouraged by Janesville Rep. Paul Ryan signaled they would be willing to vote for a short-term debt ceiling extension, but some observers say dealing with the debt limit a few months at a time essentially creates permanent turmoil over the United State's fiscal policy.