Federal debt: Dancing on the ceiling
Talk of America defaulting on its debt is just that
FOR most finance ministers default is usually a subject to be avoided at all costs. Not so in America, where Tim Geithner, the treasury secretary, sent Congress a letter on January 6th describing in gory detail the “catastrophic economic consequences” such an event would entail.
The letter was part of the dance that takes place whenever the administration asks Congress to raise the ceiling on the national debt. America is unusual in requiring a vote both to adopt a budget, and to issue any debt necessary to finance it. Grandstanding legislators typically demand concessions from the administration before raising the ceiling. There is obvious potential for a stand-off, just as there was in 1995-96, when Bill Clinton rejected the budget cuts proposed by congressional Republicans as a condition for raising the debt ceiling. …
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