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Rep. James Lankford, (R-Okla.), debriefs the Judge on his meeting with Secretary Geithner and the House GOP Freshmen.
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Tonight on the docket it was no party with T when the Treasury Secretary and the Republicans -- Treasury Secretary.
Geithner met -- house -- for -- freshman Republicans today many backed by the Tea Party.
To convince them they must raise the debt ceiling with no spending cuts strings attached.
The meeting happened shortly after Moody's threatened to downgrade America's triple -- credit rating if the deal isn't reached.
But Moody's added the deal needed to have significant deficit reduction as well.
So will these freshman acquiesce to -- budgetary bullying or will they stick to the Tea Party mandate of reining in government spending.
Here now is someone who was in that room with secretary Geithner.
Oklahoma Republican congressman James Langford congressman Langford it's a pleasure -- the -- watch.
-- -- Thank you so did a professor Geithner persuade you.
That you should let him go out -- -- the financial markets.
-- -- another 2.4 trillion dollars on top of the fourteen point three trillion we already know and have no ability to pay back.
You know what secretary continue to reinforce on the and it's just showed the differences we keep talking about debt reduction in going after dead he -- talking about deficit reduction.
-- -- he doesn't see -- contain data on more debt year after year after year and continuing to have deficits every -- here he just wants to get the deficit smaller.
We're trying to go after fourteen point three trillion dollars in debt.
In the Starr -- that down.
Did he expressed any concern.
That the amount -- -- that we will have if he if you let him -- -- the 2.4 trillion.
We'll be such an enormous percentage of our gross national product so much of that tax revenue.
Will be paid on debt service.
That it will actually make us poorer rather than richer that it may bring us closer to bankruptcy rather than a prosperity that -- you understand that argument note.
No he he is actually talking about doing some spending cuts for doing -- very small spending cuts over the course the next ten years -- increasing taxes immediately.
That's try to get this accomplished and that has been the president's position is what the secretary reinforced again again and again we have to increase taxes now.
And then cut spending gradually over the next ten years and that is the same thing that's not work year -- year.
It is -- Add more taxes now and then push the paying off to some future congress rather than to be able cut spending and that does not work can never happen.
Congressman Langford would you let the many good folks who watch freedom watch that are watching you now sleep well tonight.
By saying definitively.
That an increase in taxes is dead dead on arrival in the House of Representatives.
An increase in taxes is dead on arrival in the house represented there is no way we're gonna try to go after I have never said to a single boss in my life.
I ran up a big credit card bill back home so you need to give -- -- -- to help me pay for it.
-- laughed me out of the -- is -- go get your house in order before you come asking me for race and I don't think it's right for the American people to come to them and say.
You need to give us -- -- as we've been so responsible with your money.
It's a wrong way to -- Now congressman -- to make what I think is a great argument for sound money for a sound dollar and for living within your means.
Do all of your fellow Republicans agree with you.
Or should I worry and the freedom -- folks wiry.
About whether the leadership of the Republicans in the house well cut a deal -- professor Geithner.
And try and -- the rest -- you want to letting him borrow away.
Well we'll have to wait and see on that when the -- it's done a good job would thus we have been very clear back to them to say this is a pivotal moment in American history.
We have increased the debt ceiling seventy times in American history seventy times it's obvious we really don't have a debt ceiling in America.
So whatever happens in the next couple of months we better start working on fixing the problems when a mother freshman today said to secretary Geithner.
We did not make this -- -- freshman we understand that but we do understand what this mess this.
And it's not some mess that we can fix immediately but it's also -- -- is gonna be repaired by just jacking up the debt again.
Here's something that I wanna explore a few congressman -- -- -- and I I've heard it from whispered by Democrats and I've heard from Republicans.
I'll let the president and the Treasury Secretary -- the 2.4 trillion now.
And you alluded to this a few minutes ago congressman will approve some spending cuts in the future.
Isn't that just a -- just a joke because this congress cannot control what future congresses will do.
And this president cannot control what he's gonna do it another year much less what his successors I don't know.
I think I can say he has made clear what he's gonna -- two weeks from now much less what's gonna happen two years from now and in reality.
-- we would say is some future spending cuts will put in place to raise taxes now would be we don't have the courage to do something now we hope the American people elect someone with courage next time.
That's not what has occurred this time -- we're gonna take this on -- -- we've got to do immediate spending got.
It's switching topics here meeting yesterday today you met with secretary Geithner yesterday about it the president.
-- Paul Ryan stood up and defended the Republican proposal to get us off of this bankrupt system called Medicare that we're now in.
Annual ball -- Paul Ryan a standing ovation and I would have done so hadn't been there with you.
What the look on the president's face what congressman Ryan and -- -- -- standing ovation.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- When congressman Ryan asked the question it took in 101520.
-- a long answer and -- just get going on and on.
In circles and that tells me he was -- nervous in the process of trying to respond to this question in reality.
What congressman Ryan was trying to say was.
You have been -- characterizing and you've done it deliberately if you need an explanation in person with what our proposal is let me give you that explanation he was very kind about it he wasn't rude about it but he was like you've been saying vouchers you know it's not -- -- premium support he knows even -- -- talked about the Clinton administration.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- We only have a few seconds left and it sounds to me as -- the president doesn't have any better understanding of debt.
And it's pernicious effect on our economy than his Treasury Secretary does what -- be right in the coming to that conclusion.
Life here here's what we feel like it is we feel like we we think we have a debt crisis they think we have a debt ceiling crisis right and that we we just get through this will be fine and we'll just keep on adding more debt it's not a big issue.
We're saying this is not a debt ceiling crisis this is a debt crisis and we've got to deal with this -- Got -- congressman James -- it's a pleasure and I had a busy day thanks very -- well joining us head over to vote right now for Homeland Security stuff so we'll get on with it thank you sir.
Meanwhile the president met with Democrats in the same.
