Readers' forum: Tea party downgrade?

Published: Thursday, Aug. 11 2011 12:00 a.m. MDT

Summary

Let's see if I have the facts correct. The tea party dug in its heels and insisted that Congress and the Obama administration do something sensible: spend less than revenues. Standard & Poor's warned that if Congress did not reduce spending, especially on entitlement programs, S&P would downgrade U.S. debt.

Congress failed to reduce spending in any meaningful way. The S&P downgraded U.S. debt. Correct so far?

Now, the Democrats are saying the downgrade is the tea party's fault. Sen. John Kerry even called it "the tea party downgrade." Sounds like something Al Gore would have said.

Richard G. Smurthwaite

Bountiful

Featured Comments

See all 43 comments »

Roland Kayser

Cottonwood Heights, UT

If you were to actually read S&P's report, they mention our inability to raise revenues on several occasion as one of the leading factors in their decision. Countries that spend far more than we do still have their AAA rating. It is the imbalance More..

12:10 a.m. Aug. 11, 2011
Top comment

CHS 85

Sandy, UT

No, the tea party dug in their heels and said "don't pay the bills that we have already accrued" leaving contractors, employees, beneficiaries, and everyone else who does business with the federal government high and dry. Is that the More..

12:30 a.m. Aug. 11, 2011
Top comment

Rand

FLAGSTAFF, AZ

"Correct so far?"

Not entirely. Another reason S&P cited for the downgrade was the political brinksmanship in Congress and its inability to effectively govern. A good portion of that blame can be laid at the feet of More..

5:32 a.m. Aug. 11, 2011
Top comment

Comments